This year’s BMW International Polo Series, against a touring international team, will take place once again in Durban and at a new venue in Johannesburg. The tournament, scheduled for August, has come to represent the epitome of great sportsmanship, glamour and style.
This year, the Indian Polo Association has accepted the South African Polo Association’s invitation to send their national side to participate in the Series. India have only played in the BMW International Polo Series once previously in 2005, which saw the home side emerging victorious.
The first Test takes place at Shongweni Club, in Hillcrest, Durban on 19 August.
Dan Nicholl, CEO of Skududu Media and Hazard Golf Clothing, will MC inside the BMW VIP Marquee at this year’s events. Having worked as a sports anchor and commentator with Cape Talk for six years, anchored ETV’s Champions League football coverage, and worked as an MC across Southern Africa, Dan will be the perfect sports host for BMW VIP guests on the day.
BMW’s collaboration with the South African Polo Association is one of the longest-running sports sponsorships in South Africa – 2012 marks 23 years of BMW’s commitment to the sport.
“For BMW, our long-standing association with polo is clearly in support of the core values of the BMW brand,” explains Bodo Donauer, Managing Director of BMW South Africa. “Our brand represents dynamism, innovation and beautiful aesthetics – all in equal measure. The sport of polo certainly mirrors these characteristics – both on and off the field.”
More importantly, as anyone who has watched a polo match will testify to, the sound of thundering hooves and the thrill of robust competition delivers spectators the very emotion that BMW embodies in each of its products – pure joy.
“We have always enjoyed a very close relationship with our Indian counterparts and even though there has only been one previous International in this Series, we have had several social and competitive tours at a lower level handicap,” said Walter Grindrod, President of the South African Polo Association.
“The Indian army has the greatest mounted infantry in the world and is still the base of polo there,” he added. “We look forward to being able to reciprocate some of the warm hospitality we have enjoyed in their beautiful country”.
Guests are invited to bring their families and a picnic basket to enjoy an afternoon of outstanding horsemanship, couture designs and, of course, patriotic support of the South African polo team.
Public tickets for Shongweni and Waterfall are not pre-sold and are only available at the gates on the day, which open at 10am. Shongweni tickets are sold at a cost of R80 per person (West Bank) and R50 per person (East Bank). However, guests arriving in a BMW will be able to enjoy the afternoon for just R60 or R30 per person for the West and East Banks respectively.
Visit www.bmw.co.za/polo or www.sapolo.org.za for more information.
For photos from last year’s event, click here