ISLAMABAD, (DNA) – Ambassador of Argentine, Ivan Ivanissevich has said that it has been a pleasure to witness the final of the second Argentine Republic Polo Tournament.

he said this while addressing the prize distribution ceremony of Argentine Republic Polo Tournament.

one that along this week has allowed us to appreciate the skills of first class players together with the youthful energy of the upcoming promises of Pakistan’s polo.

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 today Argentina is able to field the teams with the highest handicap in the world.

As many of you know, this tournament has been conceived in order to promote the Islamabad Club Polo Academy, that is, as a contribution towards the future of Pakistan’s polo.

The Academy can count on the Argentine player Mr Matias de Olmos as an invaluable teacher and a major driving force.  It also provides an opportunity for young children and teenagers to develop their polo skills, teamwork abilities as well as sports ethics and discipline, all of them important for their future adult lives.

We also expect the Academy and the Islamabad 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.  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 with them or from seeing them unfold their skills on the field.

Finally, this new edition of the tournament would have been impossible without the generous sponsorship offered by the Gerry’s Group of Companies and particularly its Chairman Mr Afzal Wali, whose enthusiastic commitment turned it into a reality.  We would also like to extend our thanks to the support given by the Islamabad Polo Club and the Islamabad Club, their authorities, members of the Polo Committee and staff.  Last but not least, I would like to express my recognition for the excellent work done by our staff at the Argentine Embassy.