Pink Polo Festival scores big with sporting and community success at Ghantoot

Under the patronage of Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, the 17th edition of the Pink Polo Festival 2026 achieved remarkable sporting, health and community success, coinciding with October's global Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The festival saw the Ghantoot Polo Team crowned champions of the Pink Polo Cup 2026, presented by Elite Group Holding, the official sponsor of Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club. The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors and brought together a wide range of healthcare providers, sporting organisations and community institutions, further consolidating its position as one of the UAE's prominent sporting and awareness initiatives.

The sporting highlight was Ghantoot's commanding 8–3 victory over Elite Polo Team in the final, led by  Sheikha Alia Al Maktoum. She delivered an outstanding performance, scoring three goals to help secure her team's victory and earning the Player of the Match award. The horse Congrejo was named Best Playing Pony.

The awards ceremony celebrated Ghantoot Polo Team's triumph in the Pink Polo Cup 2026, presented by Elite Group Holding, the club's official sponsor.

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Khalifa Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan presented the championship trophy and honoured the winning and runner-up teams, alongside festival participants. The ceremony was attended by Fergal Tomas Mythen, Ambassador of Ireland to the UAE;  Saeed Bin Houfan Al Mansouri, Vice Chairman of Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club; and Ahmed Ali Al Nuaimi, Executive Director of the club.

The ceremony also included the recognition of match umpires Charles John Tighe and Felipe Llorente in appreciation of their efforts in officiating the final.

 The victorious Ghantoot team comprised Sheikha Alia Al Maktoum, Ali Al Marri, Dr Sabine Schaffer and Sandra Schnider. The Elite team, led by Yousof Bin Desmal, featured Mohammed Khalid, Fahad Al Qubaisi and Alyazi Alkhat al. The final showcased a high standard of competitive polo, reflecting the technical skills and sporting commitment of both teams.

The festival also featured a friendly match between Ghantoot Polo Academy and the Ghantoot Junior Polo Team, as part of the club's ongoing efforts to develop emerging talent, strengthen young players' skills and provide valuable competitive experience.

 Strong participation in healthcare and early detection initiatives: On the healthcare front, the festival's medical initiatives attracted significant interest from visitors, particularly the mobile mammography unit operated by Burjeel Breast Centre and Burjeel Cancer Institute, the official medical partner of Pink Polo 2026.

The mobile facility welcomed women seeking early breast cancer screening services and health awareness guidance, reinforcing the importance of timely detection and preventive healthcare.

The SEHA health tent, participating under the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, also recorded strong engagement, offering medical consultations, general health assessments and influenza vaccinations.

More than 70 medical screenings were conducted during the festival, reflecting growing public awareness of the importance of regular health checks, early detection and professional medical advice. The turnout further demonstrated the festival's effectiveness in advancing its health education and community awareness objectives.

 Faris Abu Dhabi graduation celebrates the next generation of equestrian talent: The graduation of participants from the Faris Abu Dhabi programme was another major highlight of the festival.

Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club celebrated the achievements of young participants who completed the programme, which focuses on teaching horsemanship skills, developing future equestrian talent and strengthening younger generations' connection with the UAE's long standing equestrian heritage.

Organised by Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club with the support of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the programme forms part of wider efforts to identify and nurture sporting talent, preserve the UAE's equestrian traditions and ensure the long-term sustainability of horse sports by encouraging greater youth participation.

The festival also welcomed enthusiastic participation from children representing MST Sports Academy, who took part in a range of sporting activities and competitions designed for younger age groups.

These activities combined sport, entertainment and skills development, adding to the festival's family-friendly atmosphere and strengthening its community appeal.

Another notable sporting attraction was the participation of the Middle East Gaelic Athletic Association, which organised a women's Gaelic football match as part of the festival's opening activities.

The initiative highlighted Ghantoot's growing sporting partnerships with organisations and institutions both within the UAE and internationally, while promoting cultural exchange, sporting cooperation and broader community engagement.

Pink Polo reflects Sheikh Falah's vision of sport serving society, says Al Nuaimi: Ahmed Ali Al Nuaimi, Executive Director of Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, said the success of the 17th edition across sporting, healthcare and community activities reflected the vision and guidance of  Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the club.

He emphasised Sheikh Falah's commitment to ensuring that equestrian sports play an active role in humanitarian, charitable and awareness initiatives, alongside their contribution to sporting development and the preservation of the UAE's equestrian heritage.

 Al Nuaimi said: "Pink Polo Festival is one of the longstanding sporting and community initiatives of which Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club is particularly proud. Over 17 editions, the festival has firmly established itself as a platform that brings together the sport of polo and a meaningful humanitarian mission focused on raising breast cancer awareness and encouraging early detection.

"This reflects the vision of Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to harness the power of sport in serving the wider community."

He added: "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.

"These achievements also demonstrate the success of the partnerships that the club continues to build with various organisations and stakeholders."

Al Nuaimi noted that the Pink Polo Festival also marks the annual opening of Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club's polo season, giving the event particular importance within the club's sporting calendar.

He reaffirmed the club's commitment to further developing the festival's activities and programmes in ways that enhance its sporting profile and strengthen its contribution to the community.

He also expressed his appreciation to the festival's sponsors, partners and participating healthcare and sporting institutions, praising the efforts of organising teams, volunteers and everyone who contributed to the success of the 17th edition.

Community activities bring families together:  Beyond the polo competitions and healthcare initiatives, the festival featured a vibrant programme of community and entertainment activities.

Members of the UAE's pink car owners' community made a colourful appearance, displaying vehicles in distinctive shades of pink and creative designs that symbolised solidarity with the breast cancer awareness campaign.

The Pink Souq also attracted considerable interest from visitors, alongside a variety of family competitions, recreational activities and entertainment experiences that encouraged public participation and created a lively atmosphere throughout the event.

The festival's overall achievements, encompassing competitive polo, preventive healthcare, youth development and extensive community participation, highlighted Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club's success in delivering an integrated sporting event with a strong humanitarian and social purpose.

The 17th edition further reinforced the UAE's distinguished position in equestrian sports and demonstrated the wider role of sport in enhancing quality of life, promoting health awareness and strengthening the values of social responsibility.