Dubai-based Habtoor secure British Polo Day hat-trick
Habtoor Polo won the Thesiger Trophy for a third consecutive year, beating British Army Polo 6-2 in the fifth edition of the popular British Polo Day held at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club on Friday.
The Habtoor outfit consisted of patron Mohammed Al Habtoor, his son Habtoor, Nacho Bello and Guillermo Cuitiño. Mohammed Al Habtoor was named the MVP while Cuitiño was the top-scorer with five goals.
“It’s a great event,” Mohammed Al Habtoor told Sport360°. “We’ve been partners with the British Polo Day committee for five years now. And now it has gone all around the world – Hong Kong, Singapore… everywhere.
"And we are proud to work with these people and we’re looking forward to the future together as well.
“I’m so proud of our season. My team are great. They work 24/7 and I think what’s coming in the following years will be even much better ,whether in the Silver Cup, the Gold Cup or the British Polo Day.”
The day started with an exhibition camel polo match before the Princes’ Cup took place which pit Eton against Harrow. The long-time rivals shared the spoils as the clash ended in a 2-2 draw.
Oxford then beat Cambridge 4-3 before Habtoor Polo won the main event.
Tom Hudson, a co-founder of the British Polo Day who also plays for Eton, said: “We are now in 10 different countries, but the great thing is it started here at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club. And it started with support from Habtoor Polo and started with a few friends from school.
“We're really proud now that we host some of the best players around the world but retain that amateur element, with people still playing from the same schools, universities or army teams that they played for before.”
Lt. Col. Simon Ledger, chairman of the Army Polo Association and who is also known as “the voice” of British Polo Day as event commentator, believes the Habtoor team were worthy winners.
He said: “The last match, what a fabulous occasion. High-class polo, you will not get polo like that. To get six-goalers and four-goalers with youngsters and guys who’ve played a long time... but perhaps haven’t played for a while because of the English winter, and to play to that standard.
“Habtoor deserved to win. They’re a slick outfit, they really are. And Mohammed really deserved that MVP prize.”
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