AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-: It was a famous win for the local side, Team AlUla, who took the overall victory from Team Richard Mille 5-4 in the final and lifted the trophy in the second-ever Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo tournament in north-west Saudi Arabia today.
In the third-place play-off a titanic battle saw Team Bentley edge Team Saudia 3-1.
Skippered by legendary polo star, Adolfo Cambiaso (ARG) and featuring Saudi’s own HRH Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Salman (KSA), as well as Emirati champion Mohammed Al Habtoor (UAE), the AlUla team put on a magnificent display to see off the title sponsor’s team, Richard Mille, in the final and take the coveted top spot.
Speaking after the win Adolfo Cambiaso said, “I feel great and I’m so happy for Team AlUla that we got the win. This event has exceeded all our expectations once again and we very much hope to be back soon.”
Cambiaso’s teammate from Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Salman, added “That was such a tough tournament with incredible opposition, so we are tired but very happy to have won. I was very fortunate to have had an incredible team with Adolfo Cambiaso and Mohammed Al Habtoor, two players I have learned so much from, and it was a privilege to have played this event here in AlUla over the weekend.”
Notably, Melissa Ganzi (USA) was named the most valuable player of the tournament and was celebrated as the first international woman to compete.
The two-day event once again welcomed the top names from the world of polo and showcased the best of the sport to Saudi royals, business leaders, celebrities, and international visitors.
All taking place against the unmistakable and magnificent backdrop of AlUla, home of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra, the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo was also a celebration of the region’s rich history of horsemanship, organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla in partnership with the Saudi Polo Federation. The event also benefitted from the support of title sponsor, Richard Mille, official car partner, Bentley, official hotel sponsor Habitas, and official airline, Saudia.
The sporting theatre of the weekend climax started in the early afternoon of Saturday with the third/fourth place play off featuring Team Bentley, made up of David Stirling (URU), HRH Prince Abdulrahman bin Faisal AlSaud (KSA) and Jean-Francois Decaux (FRA), facing off against Team Saudia featuring Juan Martin Nero (ARG), HRH Prince Salman bin Mansour Al Saud (KSA), Dr. Hussam Zawawi (KSA). Their closely fought match was everything the crowds had hoped for and set the tone for a magical day of competition.
Speaking after securing third place, Team Bentley’s David Stirling commented: “It was a close game, very tough, we played hard and that’s why I think there weren’t many goals. It was special to be competing in such a magnificent place and we had such a good time. Hopefully we will be back again, and we’ll be aiming for the final and the win.”
The Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo is the first major polo tournament staged in the desert and this year’s event was the finale of the 2022 Winter at Tantora festival which included a performance from Alicia Keys at Maraya.
The polo event also followed on the heels of last week’s successful Endurance ride – The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup 2022 – and is a further step towards the realization of AlUla’s long-term equestrian strategy.
The ultimate vision is to establish AlUla as a premier destination for horse enthusiasts from around the world, and the development of polo as the ‘sport of kings’ in Saudi Arabia. This includes significant infrastructure and facilities, more riding trails and itineraries for visitors to immerse themselves in the majesty of the cultural landscape.