SimplyAbuDhabi XIV

6 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I T he British Polo Day 2014 series, an exclusive series of polo events spanning the globe in a spectacular showcase of high-class sport, kicked off in style at Abu Dhabi’s Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, the private royal club of His Highness Sheikh Falah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. We were honoured to attend the festivities this year, which showcased some of Britain’s best young players and polo enthusiasts, and was sponsored for the second consecutive year by the Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre. Once again it proved to be a very glamorous affair, with His Highness Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan and British Ambassador Dominic Jermey joining the who’s who of Abu Dhabi society in an evening of fast-paced polo, fine dining and philanthropy, with world-class polo players entertaining a crowd of noted VIPs, including Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Friend of the Brand the Marchioness of Milford Haven, world-renowned artist Sacha Jafri, and Help for Heroes Founder Bryn Parry. British Polo Day Abu Dhabi began with the Hackett Camel Polo Cup, featuring members of the elite Cavalry &Guards regiments of the British Army. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Cavalry team clinched a close victory over the Guards with a 3 – 1 win, with the final two goals scored by British Polo Day Co-Founder TomHudson. Later, the British Exiles played Ghantoot Polo, partnered with Oxford GroupHoldings. This was a thrilling, high-scoring match in which the home team, Ghantoot, won 8 – 6. His Highness Sheikh Shakhboot binNahyan Al Nahyan, himself a famed show jumper, presented the winning Ghantoot Polo team with the Thesiger Trophy, a splendid statuette designed by George Bingham of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, based on pictures that Sir Wilfred Thesiger had taken more than 50 years ago. Juan Zavaleta fromGhantoot Polo was also awarded the Holland & Holland Shot of the Day – a new prize for 2014 – and Daniel Riedo, the CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Official Timekeeper of British Polo Day, presented the Best Playing Pony Prize. In keeping with British Polo Day’s ongoing commitment to philanthropy, this year’s event was in support of Abu Dhabi charity WAHA (Women and Health Alliance) and British charity Help for Heroes. The evening’s auction included lots such as a stay in the Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman, a stunning Isis Wing gown from the Egypt collection by Zaeem Jamal, two Virgin Atlantic Upper Class flights, a week in one of 3RD HOME’s luxury residences, and a four-night stay at the Royal Mansour Marrakech, which raised over AED 100,000 in total for both the charities. (For more about the Royal Mansour Marrakech, see the Simply Travel section.)