Family Office Elite Spring_16

game of camel polo for The Thesiger Trophy. The Hackett
Rest of World Team won decisively 4-1 against the Intercontinental
UAE team in a light-hearted game of Brompton
bicycle polo; a sport played in the Olympics over 100
years ago. The highlight exhibition polo match of the
evening – The British Polo Day Plate – saw the home team
RJI Capital Ghantoot Polo Team play the visiting Royal
Salute British Exiles. Following an official prize-giving
ceremony, guests sat down to a delicious three-course
dinner followed by a live charity auction raising a total
of $46,000 for Women And Health Alliance International
(WAHA) launched by Her Highness Sheikha Shamsa bint
Hamdan Al-Nahyan and Ending Domestic Violence, a UK
based charity under the patronage of Baroness Scotland
of Asthal, dedicated to finding effective ways to end domestic
violence worldwide. Guests bid fiercely for lots
including a stay on ultra-exclusive Velaa Private Island, a
safari of a lifetime to Kenya with The Safari Collection, a
special cigar dinner at Franco’s in London and a luxurious
retreat to Royal Mansour Marrakech.
vintage Global Partnership Family Offices Desert Safari
which took guests through the rolling sand dunes whilst
also taking part in activities such as falconry. Rounding
off the action-packed itinerary that had something for all
the senses, Harrods also hosted an exclusive fragrance
dinner presented by renowned perfumer Roja Dove allowing
special guests a sneak peek into the new Black
Tier Fragrance launching this summer. On Saturday 19th
March, British Polo Day Abu Dhabi took place at Ghantoot
Racing & Polo Club, the private royal polo ground of HH
Sheikh Falah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. The glamorous blacktie
evening kicked off with two rather unusual takes on
the traditional game of polo – with the Bentley Cavalry
team beating the Etihad British Army Guards 4-1 in a
On Friday 25th March – the eve of the world-famous
Dubai World Cup – British Polo Day Dubai brought a touch
of quintessential British equine heritage to the Emirate
under the patronage of Mohammed Al Habtoor, the Vice-
Chairman and CEO of the Al Habtoor Group at The Dubai
Polo & Equestrian Club. Once again, the opening match
saw Execu-Jet Guards beat British Silverware Cavalry 1-0
in the camel polo. Swapping camels for pedals, Hackett
Rest of World beat Taylor Morris UAE 3-0 in Brompton
bicycle polo. These preceded the two highly-anticipated
polo matches between RJI Capital Oxbridge and Shangri-
La Dubai Gulf Polo and – following which – Royal Salute
British Exiles versus home side: Bentley Habtoor Polo.
As is fitting for such a glamorous Dubai setting, the day’s
polo drew to a close with an official prize-giving ceremony
and after-party. Commenting on British Polo Day
UAE Tom Hudson, Co-Founder of British Polo Day, commented:
“This is now our 7th year in the UAE, and we are
very grateful for all the support we have received from
our hosts and all our partners. Polo in the UAE is going
from strength to strength and we are proud to have been
part of that journey.”
Photo credit Sam Churchill
WWW.SATOCONSULTANTS.COM
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