Charity event: Playing polo for a cause

Capital’s first polo ground inaugurated.

ISLAMABAD:

Under the sun-kissed Margalla Hills, men in blue and red chased after a ball, galloping their horses through the course of the lush-green field.

The match, organised at the inauguration of the newly-built Islamabad Club polo ground, attracted a sizable crowd comprising polo enthusiasts, diplomats and corporate sponsors on Saturday afternoon.

The polo teams included players from Argentina, Chile and the United Kingdom. The spirited match had the spectators, especially children, cheering as the teams hustled to the ball. The first-of-its-kind event that went on for well over an hour, heralds a new beginning for those aspiring to pursue the sport in the capital.

“Look at the beautiful view and the state-of-the art facility. This is the best field in the country and it looks like it could be anywhere in the world,” said Hissam Ali Hyder, 32, of the Red Team that won the match.

Hyder, a Lahore-based professional polo player for about 13 years now, has played in Argentina, Thailand, England and Pakistan. At the new ground, Hyder added, youngsters and beginners can learn from a coach with the peace of mind that they don’t have to go elsewhere to learn the sport. Previously, the only such facility in the twin cities was in Rawalpindi.

Comparing the two grounds, one of the commentators and polo player Lt Col Atif Khan, said that while the one in Rawalpindi is more traditional and has more playing fields, this one offers better quality. “There’s new Tifton grass, especially engineered for polo grounds.  So even if it rains today, you can still play,” he added.

The polo academy at the club has been operational since March 6 this year. Marcus Hancock, an international player from England, will be coaching polo players at the new ground. Some of the horses have been imported from Argentina for the sport.

Organised in collaboration with Development in Literacy, the event aimed to raise funds for schoolchildren in underserved areas of the country. An oil painting from the renowned Pakistani artist Mashkoor Raza’s Polo Series Collection was on silent auction at the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2014.