Organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), in partnership with the Saudi Polo Federation (SPF), the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo tournament will kickstart its second edition on Friday after having debuted in 2020. This is the only major polo tournament to be staged in the desert.
Amr Zedan, chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation and board member of the Saudi Equestrian Authority, said that the second Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo tournament held on Feb. 11-12 will be a “game-changer” for the sport in the Kingdom.
“Last year, I described the world’s first tournament played in the desert as an ‘appetizer’. This year, it will be the full ‘main course,’ and I’m convinced it can be a game-changer for the sport in the Kingdom,” said Zedan, polo enthusiast and owner of Zedan Racing Stables in Kentucky.
“As well as a world-class polo tournament, where spectators will witness the world’s best players in action, we’ll also be seeing some of the young up-and-coming Saudi players who were inspired by the first event. For me, that’s legacy in action, and I’m not surprised at all,” he added.
“Winston Churchill once said, ‘A polo handicap is a person’s ticket to the world,’ and he was right. That’s why we’ve seen young men and women in the Kingdom take notice and want to get involved,” said Zedan.
“Prince Bader Al-Farhan, the minister of culture and governor of AlUla, has been one of the driving forces behind this initiative. He saw the potential straight away, and what we delivered last year set a high bar and has provided a great platform to build on for this year,” he added.
The polo event will see four teams compete in a purpose-built desert arena close to the ancient site of Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Those taking part will be a mix of invited patrons and professional players drawn from the global polo community.
