La Dolfina Saudi Polo Team has announced the formation of a long-term partnership with the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage destination of AlUla.
Adolfo Cambiaso, founder of La Dolfina, widely regarded as the best polo player in history and holding a ten-goal handicap will also become an official ambassador for the Saudi destination. The team also announced that it will be returning to AlUla to compete in the 2022 Desert Polo event after a successful debut at the world-first competition in January 2020, the country’s first official polo tournament.
Set in the unique, specially-built desert arena in the shadows of the ancient site of Hegra, AlUla Desert Polo is one of the most unique locations to ever host the sport and provides an awe-inspiring backdrop for the best polo players in the world to perform. This new partnership is a step towards the implementation of AlUla equestrian strategy, which aims to make AlUla a reference place for horse activities in the region, and a must- visit destination for Horse enthusiasts.
The partnership, supported by the Saudi Polo Fedaration, will bring together unique expertise through a new model of sport partnership built around three main cornerstones: cultural and equestrian synergies, a shared commitment to excellence and the development of the sport of polo in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Argentine-based team, described as “a perfect team” due to its 40-goal handicap, made history by winning three consecutive Triple Crowns (Tortugas Open, Hurlingham Open and Argentine Open in 2013, 2014 and 2015). La Dolfina is the only team in polo history to hold this record. “When we travelled to AlUla for the first Desert Polo, we were blown away by the breathtaking landscape of Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the entirely of the stunning desert of AlUla,” said Cambiaso.
“We learnt that the relationship of the Arabian Peninsula and horses extends for thousands of years as found in the archaeological inscriptions on the rocks in and around AlUla. Through the stunning intricately carved tombs at Hegra and the ‘open air library’ of Jabal Ikmah, we can understand how humans began to tame these magnificent creatures, and the role of the horse in the development of civilized human beings.” Cambiaso added “We were very lucky to be amongst the first to experience these sites before it was an open destination throughout the full year, and now we look forward to returning.
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