UAE team wins Desert Palm UAE Nations Cup 2010

The final of the Desert Palm UAE Nations Cup took
place on 30th January 2010 at Desert Palm by Per AQUUM and was won for the second year
in a row by the UAE team who beat the USA 8 - 6. The semi finals were played between
Nigeria and Pakistan with Pakistan gaining third place by defeating Nigeria 9 - 2.
The UAE team comprised of Rashid Bin Drai, Musab Alwandanwi, Ali Albwardy and Martin
Valent. The USA team included Alan Meeker, Bob Mehm, Alan Martinez and Wilf Laugher.
Playing for Pakistan was Khalid Bin Drai, Ahmed Tiwana, Matias Machado and Atif Yar Tiwana
while the Nigerian team was headed by Prince Albert Esiri with Sayyo Dantata, Bashir Dantata
and Najeeb Khouri.
The winning trophy was awarded to the UAE team by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Sultan bin
Khalifa Al Nahyan. His Grace the Duke of Argyll and Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, the
Chairman of Hurlingham Polo Association then presented the trophy for the Royal Salute
International Challenge Match to the UAE team while Julien Renard, Brand Director for JaegerleCoultre
made a special presentation to Muhammad Asif Hafiz of Pakistan and Alan Meeker
of the USA recognising them as official Brand Ambassadors for Polo in the UAE and the
Middle East. Finally the awards ceremony concluded with Lucy Monro, Publisher and Editor in
Chief of Equestrio Magazine who awarded the Best Playing Polo Pony to Yuna.
Following the prize-giving ceremony His Grace the Duke of Argyll opened the Royal Salute
after-party where Alan Meeker Chief Executive Officer of The Conglomerate & Crestview
Group of Companies and the Captain of the USA team bought the helmet worn by Adolfo
Cambiaso in the 2009 Desert Palm Nations Cup, the proceeds of which were offered to Riding
for the Disabled in Dubai. Alan and his family are strong supporters of assisting disadvantaged
children and in his speech he gave the helmet back to Ali Albwardy so that it can be offered
again next year.
Thank you speeches were also made to Ali Albwardy the Owner of Desert Palm and Captain of
the UAE polo team for his support and patronage of the event and his commitment to
highlighting international polo within the region.
The Desert Palm UAE Nations Cup is a yearly event to celebrate polo in the UAE and highlight
the Middle East’s leading polo estate, Desert Palm, as a principle destination in the global polo
calendar. It is held at Desert Palm by Per AQUUM a boutique retreat which offers just 26 suites
and private pool villas, two award winning restaurants, LIME spa, bar and four championship
sized polo fields.
This event is organised each year by equus passport and the 2010 UAE Nations Cup partners
were luxury brands Desert Palm Retreat (host), Royal Salute, Jaeger-leCoultre, Land Rover,
Crestview and EFG Group with Equestrio, Akuma Polo and Quintessentially as support
partners.