Prestigious ‘Sport of Kings’ spectacle from February 15 to 20, 2011
with Alpine village of ice-skating, ice sculptures and sleigh rides to be backdrop
(Tianjin, China) – The new Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club which opened earlier this month introducing the ‘Sport of Kings’ to the northern Chinese city, will be the venue for Asia’s first ‘Snow Polo’ tournament to be held from February 15 to 20, 2011, following the Chinese New Year holidays.
Snow polo originated in the Swiss winter resort of St. Moritz in 1985 and is considered the pinnacle of the sport for its spectacle. The game is contested by just three players on each side with an orange ball slightly bigger than is traditionally played on grass.
Asia’s inaugural tournament, the ‘Metropolitan International Snow Polo Challenge’ will be a competition between six teams from the world’s leading polo playing nations: United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and Team Cathay.
Two matches will be played daily in a league format, 14 goal open, during the week-long event.
This prestigious international event will be played on China’s newest and largest polo fields against a backdrop representing an Alpine village, featuring a winter wonderland of ice skating, ice sculptures and sleigh rides.
Aside from the snow polo on horseback, a motorized version of the game will also be contested by German stunt drivers in Porsches.
At Tianjin’s most exclusive members-only club, the star-studded guest list will include Chinese and international celebrities and royalty.
The tournament winners will take home a trophy made by Asprey, the famed bespoke jewelers to Britain’s royal family.
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club opened on 4th November with its first tournament, the inaugural ‘Goldin Cup’, contested by renowned international professional players from England, Australia and New Zealand. The home team won by scores of 6:3 against the visiting team.
The opening was celebrated by over 1,500 guests, including the Mayor of Tianjin Huang Xing Guo; Robert Mundell, Nobel Prize Laureate in Economics; Peter Yunghanns of the Federation of International Polo and Nicholas Colquhoun Denvers, chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association.
China’s latest polo venue features state-of-the-art equestrian facilities including two international-sized polo fields and stabling for 150 horses, training facilities, riding school and prestigious Clubhouse.
A professional international management team is headed by Paul Stevens, former manager of Guards Polo Club, England, Director of Polo Operations is Derek Reid, a former Australian polo captain and Director of Stable Operations is former England player John Fisher, whose home club is Cowdray Park, England.
The entire development is headed by leading Hong Kong-listed developer Goldin Properties Holdings Limited (SEHK. 283).
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About Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club features two international-sized polo fields, stabling for 150 horses, training facilities, riding school and the luxurious club hotel Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Hotel. The state-of-the-art equestrian facilities are supervised by professional international managers
Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club hosts major international fixtures including the Goldin Cup, Ambassador’s Cup and the Snow Polo Cup.
It was opened in November 2010 by Hong Kong-listed developer Goldin Properties Holdings Limited as the sporting and social flagship of the “Goldin Metropolitan” mega-development incorporating world-class office, luxury residential buildings, villas, upscale stores and recreation facilities.
For more information, please visit www.metropolitanpoloclub.com or www.goldinmetropolitanhotel.com.