The impeccably groomed turf of Hurtwood Park Polo Club in Surrey saw 24 key Conference and Incentive agents…
The impeccably groomed turf of Hurtwood Park Polo Club in Surrey saw 24 key Conference and Incentive agents assemble for a unique opportunity learn-to-play polo day sponsored by InterContinental Hotels Group.
Organised by the Representation Company and the Dubai Polo Academy, the purpose of the day was to demonstrate the fun and excitement a learn-to-play polo day offers for novices and professionals alike. The buyers, representing many different industry sectors from the top end of the conference and incentive market, were all familiar with Dubai as a favourite destination but were completely new to the idea of using polo as a participation activity.
As the largest hotel operator in the Middle East, InterContinental Hotels Group were excited to highlight alternate activities on offer to the Conference and Incentive directors in order to further promote Dubai and their continual investment in the region and saw the Polo day as the perfect opportunity.
And what a day the guests had! Within three hours of arriving, complete beginners to horse riding were seen joining battle in fiercely competitive chukkas. Honing their riding and hitting skills under the expert eye of Dubai Polo Academy`s Steve Thompson, all competitors managed to make the rapid and seemingly magical transformation from beginner to polo player.
Organiser Nikki Rebuck, owner of The Representation Company, said afterwards: Today has been a fantastic success fully endorsing my gut feeling that Polo is a sport that everyone can play. I`ve never had a 100 per cent attendance at an event before now, and I`ve certainly never had so many unsolicited text messages afterwards, from guests still buzzing with the thrill of the experience!
Fantastic! It has to be the most fun ever. I`ve been to countless corporate events and this was in a different class all together. When can we do it again? enthused Angela Hart, Reflex Event Management.
Coach and joint host Steve Thompson summed up the day`s events. We witnessed 24 people in a pukka chukka paradise, he suggested. A morning of toil, sweat, laughter and sheer exhilaration culminated in a novice competition as fierce as I`ve seen in a while. These were top people, they meant business, they played hard and the results came.
Guests were shown, in no uncertain terms what a winning combination this sort of event offers; the indulgence of a day at Ascot or Henley coupled with the high-octane adrenalin rush of a fast track day.
This was a unique opportunity with which we felt compelled to be a part of. The polo facilities in Dubai are fabulous and whereas we have been used to organising for guests to come along to games as spectators, there is now the opportunity to offer them the chance to take part. It`s exciting, it`s totally new and I think it will be a resounding success. said Chris Moloney, Chief Operating Officer, InterContinental Hotels Group, Middle East and Africa.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
