Team Saudia was crowned the 2024 Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo champions at AlFursan Equestrian Village in AlUla this afternoon, overcoming Richard Mille 9-5 in a thrilling final to win the prestigious tournament.
Following their victory, Saudia’s Adolfo Cambiaso, Sayuu Dantana, and Melissa Ganzi celebrated with the prestigious Desert Polo trophy presented to them by Abeer Al Akel, Acting CEO, Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), and Amr Zidan, Chairman, Saudi Polo Federation (SPF).
Set against the AlUla Desert’s stunning backdrop, the fourth and final day of this year’s edition also featured the subsidiary final, where AlUla claimed third place with a 5-3 win against Tayma.
With four days of action-packed matches starring 24 players and eight teams, the 2024 Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo witnessed a highlight reel of majestic performances and magical moments worthy of recognition.
The post-final presentation ceremony saw awards given to each of Saudia’s trio – Dantana (Men’s Best Player), Ganzi (Women’s Best Player), and Cambiaso (Top Scorer). There were also awards for Pablo Mac Donough (Best Goal), HRH Prince Hamza bin Abbas (Most Promising Player), and Johanna Hanbury (Sportsmanship).
Faisal Bin Dowees, CEO of SPF, said that strong audience attendance was instrumental to the tournament’s success, pointing out the local community’s enduring relationship with equestrian sports dating back thousands of years.
“Polo has remained firmly embedded in the hearts and minds of the Saudi population,” he said. “Interest in the sport is as high as ever and we’re looking forward to presenting more opportunities four our people to participate and compete in the near future.”
Bin Dowees also extended his thanks and appreciation to both His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports & Chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and SPF Chairman, Amr Zidan.
For his part, Ziad AlSuhaibani, Chief Sports Officer, RCU,added: “We wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners and friends at the Saudi Polo Federation for their unwavering support and invaluable contributions throughout this week – both of which played a pivotal role in the tournament delivering an outstanding spectacle. We also want to reserve special thanks to the talented players, official sponsors, and enthusiastic audiences whose collective efforts ensured our third edition brought memories that will last forever.”