LAHORE: The Lahore Polo Club has added two new events to its calendar this year and many local and international players will be participating this season, it was announced on Thursday.
In the season-launching press conference, LPC President Irfan Ali Hyder said that the new tournament, named Lahore Cup, will be played at eight goals handicap – a decision welcomed by the local polo fraternity. The event will provide opportunity to players who miss the National Polo Championship which is played at 14 goals handicap.
“The highlight of the concluded polo season was the Mini Horse Show for His Excellency Mr. Abdullah Gul, President of Turkey. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Punjab, Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and the event was successful and appreciated by everyone,” Irfan said. The Lahore Polo Club is the hub of polo activities in Pakistan and has achieved this status due to the efforts of its members.
The club has three grounds that are rated as the best polo fields in Asia and second to none all over the world. Irfan pointed that the club caters to the needs of the professionals, amateurs and juniors and designs its itinerary to give opportunities to players of all levels.
“We have a good crop of youngsters who in the last couple of years have been provided the opportunity to play every Sunday during the season and amongst them we have our polo stars of the future. We also have a riding school for young school children and a thriving Polo academy for the coaching of young and upcoming players,” Irfan added.
The second tournament would be the Pakistan Polo Association Trophy, which is an 18 goals handicap event. “The PPA Trophy is an 18-handicap tournament which is back in our calendar and I am thankful to the Chairman PPA for bringing this tournament back to Lahore Polo Club.
We look forward to the participation of international and local players in our season and are making efforts to ensure that we invite professional umpires from abroad to supervise these matches,” Irfan further said. This season will provide a good opportunity to the selectors to pick young players for the coming Zone D playoffs in Malaysia in June 2011.
