13th Silver Cup 2023 Tournament Fixture Announced at an Annual Press Conference and Live Draw

The high-goal polo season in the UAE is set to kick off on the 21^st of January 2023 with the Silver Cup tournament. The Dubai Polo Gold Cup organization hosted a press conference and held the live draw at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort where the official fixture of the tournament was announced.

The first tournament of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series (DPGCS), the Silver Cup, will be played at a 20-goal handicap for the first time since its inception.

Five tournaments fall under the umbrella of the DPGCS:

• Silver Cup (20-goal handicap), 21^st January to 4^th February
• Gold Cup (20-goal handicap) from 11^th February to 4^th March
• Dubai Challenge Cup (8-10 goal handicap) from 11^th – 18^th March
• Polo Masters Cup (6-8 goal handicap) on 3^rd – 8^th April
• Dubai Cup (6-8 goal handicap) from 08^th – 13^th May

The World Polo Tour (WPT) recognises all the tournaments played under the DPGCS and ranks them amongst the top polo competitions in the world. Several of these are played in categories such as WPT Championship Cup, WPT Cup, and WPT Challenge Cup. The DPGCS started in 2009 with tournaments carrying a handicap of 10-12 goals and has grown to host teams playing in 20-goal handicap matches which are on a par with world-class polo events held in Argentina, USA, UK, and Spain.

Mohammed K. Al Habtoor, founder of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series and patron of the Habtoor Polo team, said: “I am thrilled to be introducing this year’s 20-goal-handicap Silver Cup. This is the call for all our homegrown teams to rise us and elevate their game, bringing the finest display of polo on our fields this season.

He continued: “We welcome the five teams partaking in this challenge. I continue to be grateful for the continued support of sponsors, partners, the patrons, the Dubai Sports Council, and the local and regional polo community. I look forward to seeing the new roster of players that each team has chosen to compete with this year and ultimately lift the most coveted polo trophies in the region.”

He added, “As the Chairman of the UAE Polo Federation, my passion for the sport will never cease. My primary goal is to ensure the longevity of polo through the collaborative effort of the team and the respective clubs in the country. We strive to consistently provide a robust and inclusive polo calendar for players from all levels.”

The final of the Silver Cup will be on 4^th February 2023 on the grounds of Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club. The list of five participating teams include:

• UAE Polo Team (Patron: HH Sheikha Maitha Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum)
• AM Polo Team (Patron: HH Sheikha Alia Al Maktoum)
• Bangash Polo Team (Patron: Haider Bangash)
• Dubai Wolves (Patron: Habtoor Al Habtoor)
• Habtoor Polo Team (Patron: Mohammed Al Habtoor)

The Silver Cup 2023 is played under the banner of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), with strict international supervision according to the HPA rules and provision of its umpires. The tournament falls under World Polo Tour’s WPT Cup Category, where winners will be awarded 60 points, finalists with 30 points, semi-finalists with 15 points and remaining players with 8 points.

ABOUT DUBAI POLO GOLD CUP SERIES

Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series (DPGCS) was founded in 2009 by Mohammed Al Habtoor, patron of the Habtoor Polo team. It started out with one tournament - the Gold Cup (Dubai Open) - and has grown into a series five premier Polo Tournaments in the Middle East - the Silver Cup, Gold Cup, Polo Masters Cup, Dubai Challenge Cup and the Dubai Cup. The tournaments under the DPGCS are recognized by World Polo Tour (WPT), ranking it among the best polo tournaments worldwide. The Gold Cup is one out of the four tournaments in the world that is played in the WPT Championship Cup category, on a par with world-class events held in Argentina, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States. 

World Polo Tour Tournament Ranking:

The DPGCS is one of the most important annual tournaments in the region having its home ground in the Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club, annually attracting VIP’s, dignitaries, local and international media, society figures, and famous personalities.

SILVER CUP SPONSORS

MAIN SPONSOR

Bauer International FZE

Whether excavation pits, foundations, cut-off walls or ground improvement: Bauer International is your specialist for challenging projects – all over the world – from planning right up to execution. The company offers individual, innovative and economical specialist foundation engineering solutions.

For more information visit: www.bst.bauer.de

CO-SPONSORS

Diamond Lease

Diamondlease L.L.C, a fully owned subsidiary of the Al Habtoor Group, was established in 1996 to offer automotive rental and leasing solutions, as an alternative to owning and maintaining vehicles, to Corporate and Individual customers in the UAE. Diamond lease serves more than 700 companies and multinational conglomerates operating in UAE, handling and managing their transportation requirements.

Diamondlease is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company with a fleet of over 8400 vehicles. It was the first local Car Rental Company in UAE to receive an ISO certification and has proudly held the accreditation since 1999. In recognition of its sound business ethics and outstanding customer service, Diamondlease was one of the first car rental companies to have been nominated as a member of the prestigious Dubai Service Excellence Scheme (DSES) in 2003. Diamondlease has been awarded the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Travel Awards being adjudged the “Best Car Rental Company” – Local Brand for 7 years in a row.

Website: www.diamondlease.com

Hildon Water

Hildon is an English Natural Mineral Water which lies deep within the chalk hills of Hampshire, as a result it is of the highest quality. Bottled at its source on the Hildon Estate in Hampshire and Imported from the UK, it is distributed exclusively by Top Shelf Beverages in the region, Hildon Natural Mineral Water is a proud sponsor and supporter of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series 2016.

Website: www.hildon.com

OTHER SPONSORS

Al Areesh Wrecking and Demolishing

Al Areesh Wrecking & Demolition Works was established in 2014and has a long term commitment to maintaining and extending its commanding position in the industry. They work with a broad range of clients in both private and public sectors many whom have been clients over 5 years. The company is the Principal Contractor of a variety of projects including demolition of Building, Towers, Villas, Ware house, Masjids, factory sheds, pilling, shoring, Raft foundation, R.C.C. Roads, Excavation and Backing filling, Demolition, Earthworks, General Transportation, Scrap & Metal Trading etc., industrial units, schools, offices, hospitals, warehouses, residential homes, swimming pools and many varied demolition projects in city centers.

Website: www.alareeshdemolition.com/  

MEDIA PARTNERS

Polo Line TV

PLTV is the first online streaming polo site, broadcasting over 25 tournaments LIVE per year around the globe, reaching +200k viewers. The production and edition of exclusive content makes PLTV the most comprehensive polo channel in the world.

Website: https://www.pololine.tv/

Al Badia

Since 2008, Al Badia, the prestigious Arabic venture is devoted to bringing the latest news and views on the equestrian world, Polo sporting and lifestyle. In fact, it is a tribute to the age-old passion for the thoroughbred, an integral part of the rich Arabian culture.

Al Badia focuses a gamut of information on the highly valued sport of horseracing, including information about events taking place in the Arab world and about organizations and services sought by equestrians of all disciplines. Besides being a specialized lifestyle magazine to meet the refined taste of the equestrian community, it features a wide range of information including very exclusive coverages like interviews of the Sheikhs and the who’s who of the Arab world. It targets the crème de la crème of the society and is widely circulated across different regions of the Gulf & Middle East.

Al Badia is a good platform to showcase premium brands, as it has a wide readership comprising sports enthusiasts, socialites, eminent personalities, celebrities and the royalty.

Website: http://albadiamagazine.com/

Sport360

Founded in 2010, Sport360 is a premier digital publisher and sports consultancy in the Middle East and Nnorth Africa. Initially launched as a newspaper in the UAE, the brand also quickly established itself in the digital realm by creative innovative online platforms that have attracted more than 10 million followers.

Sport360 has launched an in-house, content-marketing studio in response to an increasing client demand for unique and inspiring content. We help brands have a deeper engagement with their target audience and provide the opportunity for clients to tell their story to the Sport360 audience in an authentic and creative way. In addition, Sport360 has an events division catering to the diverse consumer and business segments in the Middle East. Some of these events include the Sports Industry Awards (SPIA) to recognise and reward excellence, plus mass-participation events including the Beach Run Series. 

Website: http://www.sport360x.com/

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

Dubai Sports Council

Dubai Sports Council is the official government body responsible for the development of the sport sector in the Emirate of Dubai. Under the Chairmanship of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and its 14 Board Members; the Council supervises the work of nine local clubs in Dubai, six of which practice a variety of individual and or team sports, such as football, handball and archery; in addition to the chess club and a club devoted for those with special needs.

Since its inception in 2006, with the vision of creating a unique sporting community, the Council organizes various annual major Sports Championships and Conferences, in cooperation with multiple International/National sports bodies and Dubai Government Entities, such as the Dubai International Sports Conference, Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup and the FINA Diving World Series; in an attempt to enhance the culture, knowledge and expertise of professionalism in all aspects of the field; from the overall preparation and/or execution of the event.

Dubai became the first Arab and Middle East city to host the Sport Accord International Convention in 2010, and stages the annual Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, the most prestigious Award of the Middle East Region. Though the Council works on various major international sports events, it does not overlook the importance of spreading the awareness of a healthier, more active lifestyle locally; and in order to achieve such objectives, physical activity programs and initiatives, such as the Dubai Pulse Physical Activity program, the Furjan District Championships and the Dubai Beach Soccer League, have all been designed to target the various communities within the Emirate.

Website: www.dsc.ae

UAE Polo Federation

The UAE Polo Federation is the official governing body of the sport of polo in the United Arab Emirates. The association has been organized to promote the game of polo with the goal of improving the sport, coordinating the activities of its affiliated clubs and registered players and providing rules, handicaps and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, including the safety of participants.

Website: www.uaepolofederation.com/