Royal Salute Coronation Cup, International Day at Guards Polo Club
Pakistan’s Hissam Ali Hyder of Team Commonwealth Brings The Royal Salute
Coronation Cup Home to Pakistan
His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh and Royal Salute’s
Peter Moore, Global Prestige Brand Director, presented the mighty Coronation Cup
to Hissam Ali Hyder (Pakistan), Fred Mannix (Team Captain from Canada), Chris
Mackenzie (South Africa) and John Paul Clarkin (New Zealand) after the GT Bank
Commonwealth team defeated England 12-11 in a thrilling game at the prestigious
Guards Polo Club on Saturday 23 July 2016.
The Coronation Cup is a high goal game consisting of 27 goals per team and is
one of the biggest international events in polo to take place every year.
For the first time in history, an Asian player was on the Commonwealth team
honouring Pakistan. Hissam Ali Hyder continues to represent his country at every
step of his career, keeping the national flag flying high internationally.
Amongst guest present was also H.E. Syed Ibne Abbas, Pakistan High Commissioner
to the UK together with his wife. Besides, a large support for Pakistan was
present amongst the crowd, as Hissam’s huge fan following, consisting of both
Pakistanis and British supporters were sporting a Pakistani flag and breaking
out in loud cheers every time Team Commonwealth scored a goal.
The match was a close one but a few back shots to goal by Hissam, alongside the
incredible goals scored by the team players resulted in a glorious win six
chukka’s later.
This match has been the showpiece game for the sport’s governing body, the
Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA), since the 1970s, but such was the standard of
play in this year’s match that the Coronation Cup was said by many to be the
“best ever”, especially since it coincided with Her Majesty, The Queen’s 90th
birthday celebrations.
Hissam Ali Hyder adds, “I would like to dedicate my win to Abdul Sattar Edhi,
his passing is the biggest loss to our country as he represented Pakistan like
no other.”
