Khalaf al Habtoor, Chairman of the Dubai-based Al Habtoor Group, has announced a new sponsorship deal with Guards Polo Club and its Royal Windsor Cup tournament. This will be the Group's first foray into UK polo sponsorship, but it is no stranger to the sport. Several members of the family play, including Rashid and Mohammed Al Habtoor and the family is a major force behind Dubai's burgeoning polo scene.
The Al Habtoor Royal Windsor Cup is the oldest tournament at Guards Polo Club. It was first played for in the Club's inaugural year in 1955 and has been played for every year since when there has been polo at Smith's Lawn, the home of Guards Polo Club. It is the leading medium-goal tournament in the country and attracts more than 20 teams every year. Prestigious winners in the past include HRH The Prince of Wales, who took the honours with his own Windsor Park team.
The Al Habtoor Group's motto is "The best way to predict the future is to create it". This ties in perfectly with Guards Polo Club's own ethos and so the two organisations will now move forward to create a high-class tournament which will attract the leading medium-goal teams in the world. Charles Stisted, CEO of Guards Polo Club, said on announcing this historic deal: "Guards Polo Club is delighted to further cement its relations with the Al Habtoor Group and looks forward to working with them to create an outstanding tournament of first-class polo."
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Al Habtoor Group:
Khalaf Al Habtoor left his job with a local construction firm in 1970 and started his own company, Al Habtoor Engineering Ltd, the foundation of today's Al Habtoor Group. The Al Habtoor Group has since grown within the UAE and is now internationally recognised through its construction, hotels, real-estate, education, automobile distribution and leasing and publishing businesses. It is one of the UAE's most successful and respected diversified business corporations, employing over 40,000 people. The Group's Construction division has a rich portfolio having created some of world's most stunning landmarks such as the magnificent symbol of Dubai, the Burj Al Arab, the ultra modern Sheikh Rashid Terminal Concourse 1 and the multi billion US$ construction of the new Terminal 3 Concourse 2 project. Habtoor Motors are exclusive distributors for Mitsubishi Motors, Bentley, Aston Martin and Temsa in the UAE and through an extensive network of showrooms and workshops support annual sales of over 60,000 vehicles per annum. Habtoor Hotels owns and operates six top class hotels, among them five star properties, including the Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa Beach Hotel in Dubai.
www.habtoor.com
Guards Polo Club:
Guards Polo Club was founded in January 1955 with HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as President. Since its inception, the Club has continually expanded and is now the largest polo club in Europe in terms of membership and number of grounds. The Club's facilities at Smith's Lawn, located in the heart of the Royal Park at Windsor, extend over an area of some 130 acres and include 10 polo grounds, extensive pony lines and two Royal Boxes. An elegant, new Clubhouse is currently under construction and is due to be completed in September 2008. At nearby Flemish Farm, the Club has some 120 stables, an exercise track and a practice ground.
www.guardspoloclub.com
© Press Release 2008
