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FAL ENERGY DAY Polo mixed with fuel and lubricants


Article by Valerie Novak


Going through the fi xture list for the coming season you will see the names of annual trophy matches to be played. In amongst these is the FAL Energy Trophy, a match sponsored by the FAL Group. The fi rst FAL Energy Polo Trophy Day took place in 1991, when Tim Berners-Lee announced the World Wide Web project and software, the Soviet Union collapsed and Queen Elizabeth II was the fi rst British monarch to address US Congress.


Saturday 17 July 2010 celebrated the 20th Anniversary of this Trophy. Every few years, the FAL Group have a Family Day inviting friends and colleagues from the oil industry to enjoy a pleasant afternoon, combining business and pleasure in the beautiful environment of Ham Polo Club.


Briefl y, the FAL Group, who sponsors the Trophy, began in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates in 1969. FAL is the largest independent Oil and Bunkers* trader in the Arabian Gulf, with offi ces in the UK and Singapore and it is a loyal supporter of the Ham Polo Club.


For the 2010 Trophy match, FAL Group invited visitors from France, Mauritania, then Netherlands, Norway, the United Arab Emirates and the UK, to witness the excitement of a closely fought polo match between FAL Group and Stagshead teams, and the beauty and


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bravery of the polo ponies. (Confusingly, to those outside the polo world, they are called ponies, but are actually full size horses!)


Some of the European visitors had made the effort of an extended day trip just to attend FAL’s polo day. Fortunately, Eurostar had been behaving itself.


Mr Abdalla Juma Al Sari, Chairman of FAL Energy Co Ltd, and Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers gave the well-received pre- match speeches during an excellent Arabic lunch provided by Noura of London.


The international fl avour of the teams refl ects the international business of the FAL Group.


Playing for the FAL Group (the boys in the black stuff) were Ali Saeed Albwardy (UAE), Prince Albert Esiri, (Nigeria) Adolfo Casabal (Argentina), and Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers (Australia), with a combined team handicap of four.


Stagshead Team (in white) comprised Shane Younger, Heiko Voelker (Germany), Martin Valent (Argentina) and Faisal Al Rifai (Jordan). Faisal took over from his father, Mr Raad Al Rifai, who was scheduled to play, a combined team handicap of fi ve.


Photo: Rory Merry


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