Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum (L) Under the patronage of Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the first ever UAE ladies polo tournament will be organised in Dubai by Ralph Lauren Corporation in conjunction with Dubai Cares which will take place at Desert Palm from 10th-13th December, 2013.
Led by Sheikha Maitha, who will captain Team UAE, the tournament will be the first ladies-only event held in Dubai. The competition's organizers say that it highlights the growing participation of females playing professional sports in the United Arab Emirates.
"The Ralph Lauren International Ladies Polo Tournament represents a significant achievement for both the UAE and for women across the region," said, "Sheikha Maitha. "Polo has long been associated as being a tough game, however, the first ever ladies polo tournament allows women to cement their footprints in this sport. It gives me great honor to participate in this pioneering event and to blaze a path for women in the world of polo." The remaining three teams, Team Asia and two teams for Europe, consist of some of the highest handicapped female polo players across the globe. Team Asia will be captained by Ploy Bhinsaeng, Thailand's premier female polo player and Lady Polo Asia Ambassador. Team Europe 1 will be captained by Princess Anna Oettingen-Wallerstein, founder of the Girls Only tournament and Team Europe 2 captained by Katerina Zeka Dombiova, one of the brightest female polo players from Czechoslovakia. US's best ranking female polo player, Sunny Hale will be playing alongside Ploy for Team Asia with France's Christine Thome playing for Team Europe 1.
David Lauren, Executive Vice President of Advertising, Marketing and Corporate Communications said, "We are thankful for the support and participation of Sheikha Maitha and Dubai Cares in this first ever ladies polo tournament. This partnership reinforces the brand's leadership in major sporting events and our dedication to supporting the game of polo. We are thrilled to be a part of this prestigious and glamorous event." Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Cares said, "We are grateful to Sheikha Maitha for her philanthropic efforts and selecting Dubai Cares to be part of this unique event. Sheikha Maitha has been an ambassador of Dubai Cares ever since its launch and took part in various activities such as travelling to one of our programs in Sudan. We are also pleased to work with Ralph Lauren on this prestigious event. Dubai Cares boasts a wide range of innovative partnerships that aim to alleviate the grip of poverty that spans generations. If not properly addressed, poverty can be an endless cycle. Through quality primary education, we work to break this cycle and fulfil every child's right to an education." As part of the partnership, polo players from the four competing teams will be outfitted in Ralph Lauren specially-designed polo mesh shirts in four bright colours; orange, pink, lime green and white, which will also be available exclusively in Ralph Lauren stores and corners in Dubai and Abu-Dhabi from December 9, for both women and men. Twenty per cent of all proceeds made from sales of these limited-edition tournament mesh polo shirts will benefit Dubai Cares, a UAE-based philanthropic organisation that aims to improve children's access to quality primary education in developing countries.
Source: WAM