AlUla, Saudi Arabia, 02 January 2025:
The Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo will return from 17-18 January 2025 and will once again feature some of the best polo players in the world.
Taking place at AlFursan Equestrian Village within the surroundings of AlUla’s stunning desert landscape, Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo is the world’s first organised desert polo tournament and has quickly established itself as a key event on Saudi Arabia’s sports and social calendars.
For the 2025 tournament, an elite lineup of professional polo players will be making their way to AlUla to compete for the prestigious Desert Polo trophy. Adolfo Cambiaso, the Argentine considered one of the greatest polo players of all time and the founder of the renowned La Dolfina Polo Team, will return to AlUla to showcase his legendary skills. Cambiaso will be joined in AlUla by his son and teammate Adolfo “Poroto” Cambiaso Jr and daughter Mia Cambiaso, who are continuing the family’s polo legacy.
Other players confirmed for the 2025 Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo include Pablo MacDonough, a La Dolfina legend and one of the most skilled players on the professional circuit. Nacho Figueras, another leading polo figure, will bring his experience and mastery to the desert, while Mille Hine will add further star power to the competition.
In addition to the professional players, an accomplished group of Royal Patrons will participate in the tournament, including HRH Prince Sultan bin Khaled al Faisal, HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman al Saud, HRH Prince Abbas bin Ali, HRH Prince Hamza bin Abbas, Earl of Medina Harry Louis David Mountbatten, and Clare Mountbatten, Marchioness of Milford Haven.
International Patrons confirmed for the event include Sarah Siegel Magness, Ploy Bhinsaeng, Mohammed ElSewedy, Miguel Morel, Phillip Muller, and Clarinda Tjia-Dharmadi.
The tournament will comprise six teams: AlUla, Richard Mille, Bentley, Budget SA, Dadan, and Ikmah, each composed of a professional player, an international patron, and a distinguished dignitary. Over two action-packed days, the teams will compete in thrilling matches to claim the coveted Desert Polo trophy.
RICHARD MILLE AlULA DESERT POLO – TEAMS
AlUla: Adolfo Cambiaso, Clarinda Tija-Dharmandi, HRH Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Salman Al Saud.
Dabas: Mia Cambiaso, Miguel Morel, HRH Prince Abbas bin Ali.
Budget: Milly Hine, Phillip Müller, Earl of Medina.
Bentley: Poroto Cambiaso, Sarah Siegel-Magness, HRH Sultan bin Khaled Al Faisal.
Ikmah: Nacho Figueras, Ploy Bhinsaeng, HRH Prince Hamza bin Abbas.
Richard Mille: Pablo Mac Donough, Mohammed AlSewedy, Clare Milford Haven.
Organised by the Royal Commission for AlUla and held in partnership with the Saudi Polo Federation, Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo serves to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s rich equestrian heritage while highlighting the region’s natural beauty and cultural depth. With its iconic rock formations and historical sites, AlUla provides the perfect backdrop for the tournament by combining the ancient traditions of the desert with the glamour and excitement of top-tier polo.
In addition to experiencing world-class polo, visitors will be able to enjoy a range of experiences, including VIP access to premium viewing areas, luxury lounges, and fine dining options. The event will also feature a Kids Zone, where interactive activities await the younger guests, while onsite brand activations will offer unique immersive experiences for all guests. Cultural activities will also be a key part of Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo, with live performances ensuring a truly unforgettable event.
Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo is part of the broader AlUla Moments calendar of events and festivals, which promotes culture, entertainment, and tourism in Saudi Arabia. The tournament aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 by supporting the development of the local economy, boosting cultural tourism, and providing top-class entertainment.
About AlUla Moments:
AlUla Moments calendar was launched at the end of 2021 and introduced new festivals and events to celebrate and unlock AlUla’s stories, uncover its secrets, and celebrate local and international cultures. With 7,000 years of civilisations and home to some of the most sophisticated ancient kingdoms of antiquity, AlUla is no stranger to social gatherings and cultural celebrations.
AlUla Moments calendar comprises five festivals offering diverse experiences in art, culture, music, nature, wellness, equestrian activities, dining, and astronomy. The AlUla Wellness Festival featuring the latest practices to engage the mind, body and soul; Winter at Tantora, the original AlUla celebration of heritage, culture, fashion and music; the Ancient Kingdoms Festival offers immersive events acknowledging the ancient civilisations that lived in AlUla and its neighbouring oases in Khaybar and Tayma; AlUla Skies Festival with the popular hot air balloons and stargazing experiences; and AlUla Arts Festival bringing together contemporary and ancient art events and experiences.
In addition to the festivals AlUla Moments calendar offers a number of marquee events, including AZIMUTH and AlUla Desert Polo, along with the heritage sports events such as AlFursan Endurance Cup, along with world-class fashion, adventure and sporting events.
About AlUla:
Located 1,100 km from Riyadh, in North-West Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years to when the Lihyan and Nabataean kingdoms reigned.
The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and comprises 111 well-preserved tombs, many with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement.
Current research also suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Roman Empire after the Romans conquered the Nabataeans in 106 CE.
In addition to Hegra, AlUla is also home to ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms and considered to be one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula, and Jabal Ikmah, an open air library of hundreds of inscriptions and writings in many different languages, which has been recently listed on the UNESCO’s memory of the World Register. Also AlUla Old Town Village, a labyrinth of more than 900 mudbrick homes developed from at least the 12th century, has been selected as one of the World’s Best Tourism Villages in 2022 by the UNWTO.