Page 308 - Westport Guide To Malaysia

300 POLO
The late, great Sunny Hale in action with her teammates at the Malaysian Ladies Polo Championships. L to r: Sarah Wiseman (ENG), Kirsty Hawkins (NZL), Sunny Hale (USA), Claire Brougham (ENG), Puan Seri Leah Hamdan (DEN) and Melissa Tiernan (GER).
held at the Royal Pahang Polo Club, with the finals
at the Selangor Polo Club in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia recorded a historic win over New Zealand, but went
out to eventual winners India. Malaysia again came close to qualifying at the 2017 World Championships qualifier, organized by RMPA at the Thai Polo & Equestrian Club, until New Zealand took their revenge for the 2011 defeat.
Ladies’ Polo
Malaysia has hosted an international ladies’ polo tournament since 2012. The RSPC Pink Polo International Ladies Polo Tournament has featured local players such as Datin Nurul Noorajala, Jennifer Too, Deborah Bottreau, Shahida Hasan and Tengku Dr Uzira Uzir. Teams included the best lady
Unable to fly out horses to Calatagan, Philippines,
in 2019, Malaysia played horses generously lent by Dato’ Inigo Zobel. Shaik Reismann had an off-field role as Amran Selamat, Tengku Shazril, Rashid Hasnan and Mohd Shariezal beat home favorites Philippines 7-51⁄2 in the final. In the B Division, Malaysia’s young team (average age 19) of Keith Teh, Imran Moiz, Zulhelmie Nadzar and Rashid Hasnan won all their qualifying games, falling only to experienced Brunei in the final.
World Championships
Malaysia hosted an FIP Polo World Championships qualifier in June 2011. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Nigeria, India and Pakistan joined in making it the largest, and
most successful World Cup qualifying tournament ever staged, in terms of participating countries (7), horses (216) and largest budget. The tournament also served as the Asian- Australasian-African Championship, from which it took its name, and was
Sarah Wiseman (ENG), Melissa Tiernan (GER), Claire Brougham (ENG) and Fazilla Filippi (MAS) celebrate winning the Malaysian Ladies Polo Championships.