World's top stars play in Laureus Polo Cup ... and the winners are the children
June 22, 2013
Many of the greatest players in the world produced a feast of thrilling polo at the highly successful Laureus Polo Cup which raised funds for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Argentina.
Staged at the historic Guards Polo Club, Windsor, Laureus Ambassador Adolfo Cambiaso, currently ranked No 1 player in the world, lead an exceptional group of international stars including Pablo MacDonough, Juan Martin Nero and David Stirling.
Cheering them on was a celebrity audience which included members of the Laureus World Sports Academy: among them was chairman Edwin Moses, tennis legend Boris Becker, England cricket hero Ian Botham and rugby giants Sean Fitzpatrick, the former All Blacks captain, and Hugo Porta, Argentina’s greatest player who is President of the Fundación Laureus Argentina.
Also present as a spectator was polo great Eduardo Heguy, now a Laureus Ambassador, who played a key role in creating the event. He said: “To be able to give back to children through sport is an incredible opportunity for someone that has experienced the positive impact which sport can have. The Laureus Polo Cup is one of the annual fundraising events which the Fundación Laureus Argentina hosts to generate funds in order to support its growth.
“The possibility of raising funds in the UK makes a real big difference back home and we have been able to incorporate and expand different projects which we fund. Also, it gives the polo players a concrete chance to support the charity in an active manner, something which is more difficult back home given the playing schedules,” he added.
Hugo Porta, who was the founder of the Fundación Laureus Argentina in 2003, said: “Everyone at Windsor has contributed to an important humanitarian cause, this will help to improve the lives of so many young people in my country. I would like to thank all the great polo players who took part and to thank all the individuals and companies who supported us in one way or another. They all share with Laureus the belief that sport can help to improve young people’s lives. You just cannot exaggerate what good the money that has been raised here today will do for the youngsters we are trying to help.”
In a spirited contest, the victors were a team representing Mercedes-AMG, the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, who won 5 ½ - 4 against a team sponsored by IWC Schaffhausen – but the real winners were disadvantaged children all over Argentina, who benefit from the help they receive from Laureus. Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen are both Global Partners of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
The teams were: IWC Schaffhausen - 1. Sheikha Maitha Al Maktoum, 2. Shilai Liu, 3. Pablo MacDonough, 4. Adolfo Cambiaso; Mercedes-AMG - 1. Mohammed Al Habtoor, 2. Jonathan Munro Ford, 3. David Stirling, 4. Juan Martin Nero.
