C H I E F E X E C U T I V E
As I write this, the world has gone into
lockdown in response to rising global cases
of Covid-19 coronavirus, the impact of which
has spread to every household, every business
and every sport.
In England, it arrived between our
seasons, which has, unfortunately, resulted
in tournament polo being put on a month’s
notice and the Queen’s Cup being moved to
follow the Gold Cup. Yet, while England
International matches have been cancelled in
Australia and Argentina, it is not the first
time our beloved sport has been thwarted by
crisis and we will get through this. In past
years, we have been challenged by some very
wet summers delaying serious polo until early
June, and have suffered various issues with
foot and mouth, sponsorship and visas but
we have always come out the other side.
The severity of Covid-19 has presented
a significant challenge for many sports
including polo, but it remains our hope that
we will have a worthwhile, albeit delayed,
polo season as soon as it is possible to do so.
With travel likely to be restricted, the latter
half of our season, which has some of our
best weather, is ready to provide a great
opportunity to play lots of polo. The whole
polo community, much like the rest of the
world, is working hard to ensure we stay
safe and get through this crisis so all those
who depend on polo and have supported it
for many years can continue to participate
in the sport in the very near future.
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P O N Y L I N E S
hurlinghampolo.com
R A J K U M A R S I N G H
N A C H O F I G U E R A S
A M A A L A A M B A S S A D O R
Set to become the Riviera of the Middle East, the
Amaala project located along Saudi Arabia’s
northwest coast, is an ultra-luxury destination
focused on curating transformative personal
journeys inspired by arts, wellness, sports and
the purity of the Red Sea. Set in the Prince
Mohammed bin Salman Nature Reserve, the
3,800 sq km, year-round destination will include
accommodation, residential villas and estate
homes, alongside high-end retail, fine dining
and recreation. Nacho Figueras (pictured),
international polo player, Amaala advisory board
member and Amaala ambassador, has joined
forces with the project to guide the development
of the polo and equestrian facilities. Polo is an
integral pillar featuring several polo fields, a polo
clubhouse and stables as well as a polo training
academy with state-of-the-art facilities.The
clubhouse’s restaurant will be an outstanding
culinary experience during matches and events.
A S I A C U P P O L O
The 19th Asia Cup Polo International Day, held in Jaipur, started in style with
a cocktail reception in the Shobha Niwas room at the City Palace, hosted by Asia
Cup founder Neil Sen in the presence of the Jaipur Royal Family, with J Oppmann
wines and Brimoncourt Champagne. The International match at the Rajasthan Polo
Club ground, on 1 February, saw HH Maharaja Padmanabh Singh captain the Royal
Jaipur team (Vikramaditya Singh Barkana, Capt. Mrityunjay Singh and Pratap
Kanota) and Kwan Lo captain the Singapore team (Lawrence Geogh, Patrick Furlong
and Vicky Nihalani). Despite a bright start for Singapore, Royal Jaipur had a 3-2
lead by the end of the second chukka. HH The Maharaja of Jaipur scored three goals
for his team Royal Jaipur as they won 7-3. Despite the loss, Furlong’s outstanding
play earned him MVP. The 20th Asia Cup is planned in London later this year.
