Getting to know each other better!

Islamabad: After a very successful and well attended Argentine Republic Cup polo tournament which lasted five days as teams competed for the trophy, the ambassador of Argentina and Mrs Ivanissevich hosted a dinner at their residence for the teams and polo aficionados.

It was a casual, garden affair since the weather is conducive for such events these days, turning out to be an enjoyable evening, with ‘Asado’ - Argentine style barbecue - a chance for the guests to interact with each other and the hosts making their guests feel welcome and comfortable. The tournament is a major event of the Polo Fall Season and a symbol of friendly ties linking Argentina and Pakistan - the latter is the birthplace of the sport and Argentina is able to field teams with the highest handicap in the world!

Speaking informally the host said this tournament has been conceived in order to promote the Islamabad Club Polo Academy, as a contribution towards the future of Pakistan’s polo and the Polo Club to become a future reference point for the sport. “That objective can be achieved as long as we keep working together with that future in mind,” he said. “The fact that this year we had more foreign and Pakistan players from Lahore playing this tournament seems to confirm that we are on the right track, since upcoming players learn a lot from playing together or from seeing them unfold their skills on the field.” He was of the view that the academy provides an opportunity for young children and teenagers to channel their youthful energy and develop their polo skills, teamwork abilities as well as sports ethics and discipline, all of them important for their future adult lives.

Guests were of the collective opinion that the academy is benefitting greatly from the services of Argentine coach, Matias de Olmos, a strict disciplinarian, an invaluable teacher and a major driving force who has trained a number of the young players that played in the tournament and showed great promise after just two years of training. You could see he was a popular person as he was present at the event along with his family. The evening ended with a round of applause for the hosts for arranging such a pleasant evening to conclude the exciting tournament that began the polo season in Islamabad.