Al-Ula Desert Polo, the first tournament in Saudi Arabia to be held in cooperation with the Saudi Polo Federation, is to make its debut on January 16-18, 2020 as part of the Winter at Tantora cultural festival.
Cradled against the backdrop of one of Arabia's best kept secrets – the exquisite UNESCO heritage site in Al-Ula that will officially open to the public in October 2020 – Al-Ula Desert Polo represents a milestone in Saudi Arabia's sporting and social journey.
A new concept in world polo and inspired by the prestigious snow polo tournament held in St Moritz, Switzerland, Desert Polo will feature some of the most renowned players and patrons in the world of polo.
Organized by the Royal Commission for Al-Ula in partnership with the Saudi Polo Federation, Desert Polo is one of the highlights of the three-month long Winter at Tantora festival, running from December to March and held in the historic and untouched region.
Amr F Zedan, Chairman of the Saudi Polo Federation and an international polo patron said: "This tournament is a celebration of the transformation journey that we are making in Saudi Arabia.
"Our goal in promoting this extraordinary event is twofold. We want to tap into the undiscovered sporting talent that we know exists among young Saudi men and women and encourage greater levels of participation in our sport.
We are also proud to use sport, and polo in particular, as a vehicle to showcase a truly unique destination and an incredible overall experience to the world. Saudi Arabia has the capability, the infrastructure and, crucially, the will, to stage major events on the world stage and Desert Polo is just one example of this."
Amr Al-Madani, the CEO of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula, welcomed the addition of Desert Polo to the prestigious and exciting roster of weekend events on the Winter at Tantora calendar: "Al-Ula is a place that sums up to the world the rich and as yet widely undiscovered culture within Saudi Arabia," he said.
"A major contributor to the heritage in this part of the world is our peoples' connection to the horse. Therefore, it is symbolic that we are showcasing the progress of modern day Saudi Arabia here, in one of our most significant cultural sites."
Winter at Tantora is offering two special polo package, for one day or three days featuring a special "Introduction to Polo" clinic. It includes a 1-hour introduction clinic to Polo, with a maximum limit of 10-per-day (first-come first-serve basis).
The Winter at Tantora festival will take place from December 19th, 2019 – March 7th, 2020 in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia.
