The Standard Bank Joburg Polo in the Park is a “new format” lifestyle polo event that makes its debut at the Inanda Country Base – top class and premier private stables located in Kyalami. The event is one of the notable signature lifestyle experiences Joburg has to offer that exudes glamour, opulence, class and all things magnificent.
The Event
This event was successfully launched in 2019, as a first of its kind on the continent, inspired by the desire to offer a unique luxury lifestyle experience to its aspirational, well-heeled guests. Following a two-year hiatus during the COVID Pandemic, the event returned with much glamour and fanfare in 2022 for the second instalment, attracting over 1500 spectators. The Standard Bank Joburg Polo in the Park is not only about POLO, but about the lifestyle and the entire trimmings and package that are part and parcel of the sport of kings.
The 2023 event is once again packed with riveting entertainment and a programme of luxury lifestyle experiences, and world-class hospitality. It boasts the right balance and combination of luxury, high-end fashion and hospitality with African chic, stellar entertainment and unmatched ambiance against a backdrop of top-quality sportsmanship in the perfect setting.
THE ORGANIZERS
The Standard Bank Joburg Polo in the Park was conceptualized and launched in 2019 by African Deluxe Company, (ADC), an organisation founded in 2018, with a mandate of rolling out a portfolio of iconic African luxury lifestyle events and experiences in the polo, music, arts and lifestyle genres.
ADC is the coming together of industry veterans in the South African events, marketing and communications industries to launch Africa’s most formidable events platform to date. The management team has a combined 60+ years of experience in conceptualizing and managing stellar international-level events, and their mandate is to offer unique experiences and event platforms to high-value audiences in a compelling way.
It is a partnership that is not only multi-talented but also committed to pushing the envelope and producing quality, luxury events in South Africa before.
The African Deluxe Company has the privilege of tapping into all this experience and the rich resources that each partner brings to the table to form a formidable marketing and events company. Their formula for success is well honed, and backed up by a formidable team of experts in the events and marketing space.
PARK POLO
The Standard Joburg Bank Polo in the Park is the first park polo in South Africa.
Park Polo has a unique format in that it is a very fast and action-packed form of polo; it is therefore incredibly exciting. The rules have been tweaked to make the game faster and to bring the spectators closer to the action more than before. The Rules of Park Polo have been simplified from the traditional rules of polo so that newcomers to the sport will be able to follow the action without any prior knowledge of the game.
Some of the differences are:
- Smaller Polo Field: therefore, the action is never far away from the spectator.
- A 45 Yard Ring: goals scored from outside this line are worth double the points compared to a goal scored from within.
- Changing Ends: teams change ends only at half time – making the game quicker and simpler.