2017 Julius Baer Gold Cup makes its debut at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club
Julius Baer, the leading Swiss private bank, inaugurated the 2017 Julius Baer Gold Cup (Dubai Open) during the press conference held today at The St. Regis Dubai at Al Habtoor City in the Astor Ballroom. The UAE’s premier polo tournament will take place between 18 February and 10 March, 2017. For the third consecutive time, Julius Baer is the title sponsor for the Dubai Gold Cup 2017, part of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series. The Swiss bank is also the team sponsor for Julius Baer Team by Habtoor. The highly-anticipated event will be held at its new home ground at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club, Dubai’s first luxury polo and equestrian community located in Dubailand.
Founder of Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series Mohammed Al Habtoor was joined by Cesar Ruiz Guinazu, Polo Director, Daniel Ph. Savary, Julius Baer’s Global Head of Middle East and Africa; Joe Rogan, Prestige Director, Al Habtoor Motors (Bentley Emirates); Shaz Peshimam, Senior Manager, Dubai and Northern Emirates for Emirates Airline; and Rainer Kern, Director of Communications from German watchmakers Moritz Grossmann – the official timekeeper of the tournament.
Highlighting the importance of the tournament on the sports agenda, a total of nine teams will vie for this year’s title, including UAE Polo Team led by Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. A live draw was conducted to determine the order of play, after which Cesar Ruiz, Polo Director of the Julius Baer Gold Cup, announced the tournament fixtures in the presence of sponsors, team patrons, players and the media.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, the Julius Baer Gold Cup (Dubai Open), an 18 goal handicap competition, is part of the Gold Cup Series. Played under HPA rules and in its eighth edition, the tournament is the highest handicapped tournament in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, ranking it among the best polo tournaments worldwide. The event has drawn over 20,000 visitors since its launch in 2010.
Mohammed Al Habtoor said, “This year we are more excited than ever about the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series as it is being played at its new, permanent home ground – the Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club. This world-class equestrian resort provides enviable facilities for competitors and spectators.”
Daniel Ph. Savary, Global Head of Middle East and Africa at Bank Julius Baer said, “We are very excited to support this prestigious tournament that has firmly established itself as the foremost polo competition in the region. Polo perfectly embodies a commitment to exceptional quality and a heritage of excellence – values that we look to bring to our clients every day. We wish the competing teams all the success and a great show for the fans.”
Emirates airline, the official airline sponsor for the first time, said, “As the official partner and Airline of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series, we hope that together, we can support Dubai to become a first class destination for Polo enthusiasts around the world, and further reinforce Dubai’s reputation as a premier hub for equestrian sports and events.”
Joe Rogan, Prestige Director – Al Habtoor Motors commented, “This will be our sixth consecutive year that we have sponsored this prestigious event and we are very proud to do so, as we believe there is no partnership more synonymous with luxury and performance than the sport of Polo and the Bentley Brand. We find this event a great platform for our brand and the Gold Cup gives us a fantastic opportunity to engage with old and new customers.”
Matthew McCartin, SVP of Global Marketing, USPA Global Licensing Inc. said, “We are excited to participate as the official apparel supplier for the Julius Baer Gold Cup in Dubai and connect our licensees with polo in their respective markets. This allows us to bring polo full circle on a global spectrum, both brand and sport.”
Winners of the 2017 Julius Baer Gold Cup will be awarded with iconic timepieces worth half a million dirhams, while Subsidiary Cup winners will receive a Bentley car for the period of one month.
Participating teams:
- UAE Polo Team – Patron Her Highness Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
- Julius Baer Team by Habtoor – Patron Mohammed Al Habtoor
- Wolves Polo Team – Patron Habtoor Al Habtoor
- Mahra Polo – Patron Rashid Al Habtoor
- Bin Drai Polo Team – Patron Saeed Bin Drai
- Zedan Polo Team – Patron Amr Zedan
- Abu Dhabi Team – Patron Faris Al Yabhouni
- Desert Palm Team – Patron Tariq Albwardy
- Bangash Polo Team – Haider Bangash
