“Being in Dubai was an incredible experience, a true challenge for us. We were giving courses in Perú and Uruguay, besides the ones we give in Argentin; and to be able to do it in Dubai was historical”.
Bill Buchanan is more than the Manager of the Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Association (Asociación Argentina de Criadores de Caballos de Polo, in Spanish, AACCP); he is a key piece within the institution that promotes the development and the support of the Raza Polo Argentino in the most remarkable tournaments all over the world
Bill spoke to PoloLine about the days he spent in Dubai during the past season, along other members of the AACCP, and he took part of something which he called historical. “Thanks to a relationship with Rashid Al Abbar regarding other issues, we proposed him to make the courses in Dubai, and he liked the idea. So we started to arrange it to make it by the end of January, early February, because polo is in full swing at that time”, says Bill.
And he adds: When we spoke to the Argentine polo players who go to Dubai, they also agreed that a training would be good for the people there; they most come from India, Pakistan, all hardworking people but with lack of knowledge about polo and horses, so train those people would improve the horse training and care as well as the life of the horses and the local players who showed interest in the courses. Tomasito Fernández Llorente helped us with the course, with the explanations in English, so it was amazing”.
About his first experience in Dubai, where polo has been growing significatively year after year, Bill remarks that “we came across a cosmopolitan city, with people from every part of the world, people who came to hear the courses from Pakistan, India, England, Germany, Nigeria, people from all around. There were a lot of interest on what we do with the training and I think they were happy with the train we gave. And the fact of making the course in Dubai was an historical event for us”.
The AACCP, provided huge support to give courses for grooms in Dubai, who are renowned worldwide, as Bill secures, who also is very thankful to everybody in Dubai who make this experience possible in a polo destination that is more and more attractive and competitive. ” I have to thank Leo Gómez, he is an Argentine who’s been working there for many years; he helped us with the language, he was our touristic guide during the seven days we spent in Dubai and he has a lot of experience with horses, mostly endurance, but very related to polo and to Rashid”, he says.
And concludes: “It’s more than 15 years we are giving these courses on a regular basis and we are very proud to have been called to go to Dubai, it’s a challenge. I want to thank to Rashid Al Abaar, who invited us; to everybody involved in the courses; to Dr. Inés Morikawa; Los Machitos’ Chicho Felice, who came to share this experience as a high class groom that added value to the course. On a personal side, I am very thankful to the Association and its President, Mr. Santiago Ballester, who enable us to train people, to form people, something we love to do and we make with enthusiasm and dedication. And you always want something more and for sure the time to come back to Dubai will come”.