Increased prize purse for Emirates Open Polo Championship

DUBAI: The 18th Emirates Open Polo Championship International, one of the most highly anticipated events on the UAE Polo calendar, will be held at the Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club (GRPC) from Dec.10-21.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Founder and Chairman of the Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, the prestigious tournament carries a rich purse of half a million dirhams in prize money.

This year’s renewal of the Emirates Open Polo Championship, a 14-handicap category event, will feature five teams – UAE Polo Team, Abu Dhabi Polo Team, Ghantoot Polo Team, Desert Palm Polo Team and Al Habtoor Polo Team.

Sheikh Falah, a keen polo enthusiast and doyen of the game himself, has given the Ghanoot Polo Team, a Royal seal of approval, and nominated Yousef Bin Dasmal as its skipper.

“I believe that the 2018 Emirates Open Polo Championship will live up to all expectations and be just as exciting, if not more, than the previous tournaments,” said Sheikh Falah.

“I wish all the teams the best of success and I’m sure we will witness some competitive and entertaining polo matches at Ghantoot.

“I genuinely thank all our esteemed partners and sponsors, the club management, volunteers and fans for their continuous support of the Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, for without you we would not be able to host such prestigious events as the Emirates Open,” Sheikh Falah said.

Ahmed Al Nuaimi, Managing Director of the Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, added: “We are delighted to host the first major tournament of the season at Ghantoot. The Emirates Open is also a special event as it brings out the best in the players. “We look forward to watching some exciting and entertaining mates over the next two weeks here at Ghantoot,” he said.

“The Emirates Open is a tournament with a rich history and has ceaselessly delivered the highest quality of polo and I’m sure that we can look forward to some very competitive matches.”