SimplyAbuDhabi XII

3 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I The breathtaking pendant was created in a limited edition of only seven pieces, to represent the seven Emirates, and was showcased for the first time in AbuDhabi during the event. Set with rubies, emeralds, diamonds and black spinels, it reflects the colours of the United Arab Emirates flag. Meanwhile, sell-out audiences in the VIP Polo Garden enjoyedMaserati test- drive experiences. The Maserati story began nearly 100 years ago in 1914, when the Maserati brothers established the brand in Bologna, Italy. Today, based inModena, Maserati creates sporty, yet luxurious vehicles that perfectly express Italian elegance and style. The current exclusive line-up includes the sixth-generation Quattroporte, the all new Ghibli sports-sedan, the GranCabrio – one of the best-looking convertibles in the world – the GranTurismo, representative of Maserati’s long grand touring tradition, and the GranCabrio and GranTruismo MC Stradale – the fastest, lightest and most powerful cars in the Maserati model line-up, inspired by the race- winning GranTurismo Trofeo MC. Post-play entertainment in the poolside Breeze Lounge provided the perfect antidote to a day of fast-paced action, with international DJ Fabrizio Marra setting the tone for a glamorous evening. Michael Cinders, a long-termUAE resident, was soaking up the stray rays of sun in the VIP Polo Garden: “This year’s event was quintessentially Abu Dhabi. Today’s dramatic finals had me on tenterhooks throughout. I’m looking forward to attending next year’s event already.” Coutts Polo in the Palace forms part of the world famous City Polo Series, which also includes London’s Polo in the Park, an event that regularly attracts more than 25,000 people to the sport of kings over three days. More than 100 years ago, Hurlingham Park hosted regular weekly fixtures of polo as it was then the Hurlingham Club’s number one polo field and weekend crowds would gather for the summer social scene. Polo continued to be played in Hurlingham Park right up until 1939, but, with the onset of WorldWar II, the fields were given over for food production and Hurlingham’s polo days became a distant memory. In 2009, City Events Ltd. created the City Polo Series and brought polo back home to its central London roots. Polo in the Park is now the London fixture in the Series’ global calendar andHurlinghamonce again plays host to this very traditional English summer pastime. Polo is one of the oldest sports in the world and is played professionally in 16 countries, and although it’s not yet an Olympic Sport, the push to further popularise the sport and expand its appeal from beyond the horizons of the rich and privileged alone, has got to be good for the game.