Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge 2009
Friday, 27 March 2009

The Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge 2009, at the Desert Palm Hotel on March 27, 2009 in Dubai
The Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge 2009 was held in the prestigious setting of Dubai's Desert Palm Hotel, under the gracious patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of Dubai.
Each year, Cartier organises three spectacular polo tournaments: the traditional and royal Cartier International Polo at Guards Polo Club, Windsor, the daring and athletic Saint-Moritz Snow Polo event and the exceptional Desert Polo match in Dubai. These three splendid occasions have become much awaited events and enable the jeweller to express its attachment to this unique sport, a symbol of a certain “art of living”.
Now in its fourth year, the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge 2009 hosted a large number of stars and VIPs from around the world. This year, the actress and Cartier muse Monica Bellucci, accompanied by Anil Kapoor, the celebrated actor of the film Slumdog Millionaire, were among the guests present, alongside members of the Dubai royal family, VIPs from Dubai and a large number of admirers.
2 teams took to the field:
- Qatar Airways with Sunjay Kapur, Rashid Albawadry, Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers and Martin Valent
- Emirates NBD with Tariq Albawardy, Sir Michael Rake, Clive Reid and Rodolfo Ducos.
Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Bernard Fornas, President and CEO of Cartier International, and Patrick Normand, Director of Cartier Middle East, presented the trophy to the winning team, Qatar Airways.

HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, Ali Al Bawadi, Bernard Fornas, President and CEO of Cartier International, and Patrick Normand, Director of Cartier Middle East, pose with a cheque Cartier presented during the Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge at the Desert Palm Hotel on March 27, 2009 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Bernard Fornas, President and CEO of Cartier International, also presented Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein with the profits from the LOVECharity operation: a donation of 646,000 AED (around 100,000 euros) in aid of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
Throughout the tournament, guests had the pleasure of gathering at the Villa Cartier – which was set up on the site – to celebrate the event, surrounded by the latest Cartier creations.