The 14th. edition of the Dubai Silver Cup, one of the two most significants tournaments within the Dubai Gold Cup Series, kicked off on Saturday January 20, at the magnifcient Al Habtoor Polo Resort, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The opening day saw Habtoor and UAE Polo victorious. Supported and recognised by the Government of Dubai, the Dubai Sports Council, and the UAE Polo Federation, the Dubai Silver Cup marks the start of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series (DPGCS), the most prestigious series of polo tournaments in Asia and the Middle East.
The Dubai Silver Cup sees four teams up to 20 goals, and the finals are due to be played on Saturday February 3.
THE DUBAI SILVER CUP IS STREAMED LIVE ON POLOLINE TV HERE.
In the first match, Habtoor, led by Bautista Bayugar’s remarkable performance, defeated Bangash 13-9.5. Bangash, under the command of Tomás Fernandez Llorente, demonstrated to be a quite complicated contender for Mohammed Al Haboor’s foursome in the first half. But the story would change in the fourth chukka, when Habtoor bounced back through an accurate team play that allowed them to claim the win.
Up next, UAE Polo beat Dubai Wolves by CAFU by a narrow 9-8, in a very close contest that was decided in extra time, after leveling the scores at 8-all in regulation time. After a tough battle, it was UAE Polo who had the deal said and done, by producing the winning goal in the last minutes of play within that extra chukka.
DUBAI SILVER CUP – SATURDAY JANUARY 20
HABTOOR 13-9.5 BANGASH
Habtoor: Mohammed Al Habtoor 0, Juan Jaureche 7, José Araya 5, Bautista Bayugar 8.
Bangash: Haider Bangash 0, Alfredo Cappella 8, Tomás Fernández Llorente 7, Facundo Kelly 3.
Progresión Habtoor: 1.5-1, 2-2.5, 4-3.5, 9-6.4, 13-9.5.
RELIVE HABTOOR vs. BANGASH HERE.
UAE POLO 9-8 DUBAI WOLVES BY CAFU (extra chukka)
UAE Polo: HH Sheikha Maitha Bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum 0, Lukin Monteverde 6, Tommy Beresford 7, Federico Von Potobsky 5.
Dubai Wolves by Cafu: Habtoor Al Habtoor 1, Félix Esaín 6, Santiago Laborde 6, Benjamin Panelo 7.
Score UAE Polo: 2-0, 2-2, 4-3, 7-4, 9-8, 9-8.
RELIVE UAE vs. DUBAI WOLVES BY CAFU HERE.
The Dubai Silver Cup will resume on Wednesday January 24, with the following order of play:
2pm: UAE Polo vs. Bangash
4pm: Habtoor vs. Dubai Wolves by CAFU
Dubai Silver Cup – Teams & Fixture
2024 Dubai Gold Cup Series Calendar:
Silver Cup (20-goal), January 20-February 3
Gold Cup (20-goal) from February 7-24
Dubai Challenge Cup (8-10 goal) March 1-10
Polo Masters Cup (6-8 goal) April 1-6
Dubai Cup (6-8 goal) April 15-20
The World Polo Tour (WPT) acknowledges and ranks all tournaments within the Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series (DPGCS) among the premier polo competitions worldwide. These include categories such as the WPT Championship Cup, WPT Cup, and WPT Challenge Cup.
The Silver Cup 2024 is played under the rules of the Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), and officiated by its qualified umpires. Categorized within the World Polo Tour’s WPT Cup category, the tournament holds significant global recognition. Winners of the Silver Cup will be bestowed with 60 points, finalists with 30 points, semi-finalists with 15 points, and all other participating players with 8 points, contributing to their standing on the international polo stage.