Ghantoot Clinches Pink Polo Cup As Screenings Draw Crowds Arabian Post

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Ghantoot Polo Team crowned champions of the Pink Polo Cup

Ghantoot Polo Team defeated Elite Polo Team 8–3 to win the Pink Polo Cup 2026 at Abu Dhabi's Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, where organisers said more than 1,000 people attended a festival combining competitive sport with breast cancer awareness.

Sheikha Alia Al Maktoum scored three goals for Ghantoot and received the Player of the Match award. The final formed the centrepiece of the 17th Pink Polo Festival, held on 31 October under the patronage of Sheikh Falah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, chairman of the club.

The event, which opened the club's 2026–27 polo season, also delivered more than 70 medical screenings, according to organisers. Healthcare providers offered breast health information, preventive services and consultations during the gathering, timed to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Burjeel Breast Centre and Burjeel Cancer Institute, the festival's medical partners, operated a mobile mammography facility where women could seek screening and guidance on early detection. A separate SEHA health tent, participating under Abu Dhabi's Department of Health, provided general health assessments, medical consultations and influenza vaccinations.

The medical programme was intended to make preventive healthcare more accessible to visitors attending the sporting event. Organisers did not provide a breakdown of the screenings by type or disclose how many mammograms were performed, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn from the overall figure.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Hamdan Al Nahyan presented the championship trophy and honoured players from both teams. The ceremony was attended by Fergal Mythen, Ireland's ambassador to the UAE; Saeed bin Houfan Al Mansouri, the club's vice-chairman; and executive director Ahmed Ali Al Nuaimi.

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Ghantoot's winning line-up consisted of Sheikha Alia, Ali Al Marri, Dr Sabine Schaffer and Sandra Schnider. The opposing team included Yousof bin Desmal, Mohammed Khalid, Fahad Al Qubaisi and Alyazi Alkhat al. The horse Congrejo received the Best Playing Pony award, while match umpires Charles John Tighe and Felipe Llorente were recognised during the presentation.

Elite Group Holding, the club's official sponsor, presented the cup. The final was one of several sporting activities staged alongside the health campaign, with organisers seeking to draw families and participants beyond the regular polo audience.

Al Nuaimi said the festival reflected Sheikh Falah's aim of connecting equestrian sport with charitable work, public health education and community participation. He described the event as a longstanding initiative that had developed over 17 editions into a platform for promoting breast cancer awareness and encouraging early detection.

“The attendance of more than 1,000 visitors, the strong response to our healthcare initiatives, which delivered over 70 medical screenings, the graduation of participants from the Faris Abu Dhabi programme, and the extensive involvement of sporting and healthcare institutions are all positive indicators of the festival's continued development and expanding community impact,” Al Nuaimi said.

He credited cooperation among sponsors, healthcare organisations, sporting bodies, volunteers and organising teams for supporting the programme. The club plans to continue developing the festival as an annual fixture alongside the start of its polo season.

The festival was designed to bring health services into a setting that might attract people who would not otherwise attend a dedicated medical awareness event. Organisers said the screening provision and accompanying consultations were central to its purpose, although they did not publish information on follow-up appointments, referrals or outcomes from the checks.

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Youth development also featured prominently. Participants completing the Faris Abu Dhabi programme were recognised at a graduation ceremony. The initiative, organised by Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club with support from Abu Dhabi Sports Council, teaches horsemanship and aims to develop young equestrian talent while maintaining connections with the UAE's horse-riding traditions.

A friendly fixture between Ghantoot Polo Academy and the Ghantoot Junior Polo Team gave younger players competitive experience. Children from MST Sports Academy joined other sporting activities and age-group competitions, adding a wider participation element to the programme.

The Middle East Gaelic Athletic Association organised a women's Gaelic football match during the opening activities. Its involvement brought another sporting discipline into the festival and provided an opportunity for interaction between local participants and the wider expatriate sporting community.

Away from the playing field, members of the UAE's pink car owners' community displayed specially coloured vehicles in support of the awareness campaign. The Pink Souq, family competitions and entertainment activities offered visitors additional attractions throughout the event.

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