The Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series (Dubai Open), an 18 Goal Handicapcompetition, enters its seventh year under the Patronage of HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin RashidAl Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai.
The tournament is now the highest handicap in the UAE. At the pressconference on Monday, January 18, 2016 at The St. Regis Dubai at Al Habtoor City, the organisingcommittee conducted a live draw for the McLaren Cup 2016.
The Dubai Open has been split into two tournaments. Starting with the McLaren Cup 2016, which runs fromFriday January 22, 2016 to Friday February 5, 2016. The second tournament, the Julius Baer Gold Cup,commences on Friday, February 19, 2016 to Friday March 11, 2016.
The Dubai Polo Gold Cup Seriesis the fourth-largest tournament of its kind after Argentina, the US and theUK. First founded by Mohammed Al Habtoor in 2009, the tournament is the premier regional polocompetition of the year, and attracts VIPs, society figures, and senior corporate executives from across the GCC. It has grown in tandem with the city of Dubai and since 2012, it is the only tournament in the UAE tobe recognized and certified by the World Polo Tour (WPT). It is played under the banner of the HurlinghamPolo Association (HPA), with the Gold Cup being played according to HPA rules and the provision ofumpires is managed under strict international supervision by the HPA.
Mohammed Al Habtoor, Founder of the tournament and patron of the Habtoor Polo team said, “This yearthere are nine teams playing in the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series, further evidence that the competition ispicking up momentum.
The Dubai Open has helped put the UAE on the world polo circuit. Each year thecompetition gets better and better, and we attract some of the best polo players in the world.”The participating teams will host some of the top-ranking World Polo Tour players, including Pablo MacDonough, the 10-goal superstar and two-time ‘Triple Crown Champion with La Dolfina’; Lucas Montverde(9-goal handicap); Guillermo Terrera (8-goal handicap), Alfredo Cappella Barabucci (8-goal handicap) andAlejandro Novillo Astrada (8-goal handicap) and many others.
The Dubai Polo Gold Cupwill beheld at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club in Arabian Ranches.
Sixpolo teams will be participating in the McLaren Cup 2016 18-goal handicap:
•Mahra Polo – Patron: Rashid Al Habtoor
•Bin Drai Polo Team – Patron: Saeed Bin Drai
•Habtoor Polo Team – Patron: Mohammed Al Habtoor
•UAE Polo Team – Patron: Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
•Zedan Polo Team – Patron: Amr Zedan
•Habtoor Wolves Polo Team – Patron: Ahmed Mohammed Al Habtoor / Khalaf Rashid Al Habtoor
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