The Army Polo Association was invited to take part in a three-day tour to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in March.

The party, led by manager and commentator Lt Col Simon Ledger along with Army Coach Gaston Deverient, included six players. They were Col Justin Stanhope-White 1, Lt Col Nick Hunter 2, Lt Col Michael O'Dwyer 1, Capt Jack Mann 2, Capt Q Hicks 1 and Capt Philip Kaye 1.

The tour began with chukkas at the Arabian Ranches Polo Club in Dubai in preparation for the competition.

The following day was the main event – the British Polo Day at Arabian ranches involving the Hackett British Army polo team up against Habtoor. Eton v Harrow and Oxford v Cambridge were the other matches on a well supported day of fast polo. As some of the other teams were short of players, British Army players filled in the gaps for the Oxford v Cambridge and the Eton v Harrow fixtures.

The Hackett British Army side of Deverient (5 goals), O'Dwyer, Hunter and Hicks lost by just one goal in the final match for the Shiekh Zayeed Trophy.

Day three of the tour had the team playing in Abu Dhabi against the nine goal side Ghautoost. Deverient, Hicks/Kaye (shared position), Hunter and Mann made for formidable 10 goal opposition.

It was a fast and furious match on a dead flat and very pacey ground. The Hackett British Army side put up a great fight but, once again, were unlucky to lose the match by a single goal.

It proved a superb tour – hosted by British Polo Days – which will be repeated again in 2012.