Last Wednesday saw 400 international guests from the worlds of fashion, art, music and the City, including The PNN Group’s Nasib Piriyev, Natalia Vodianova, Lindsay Lohan, Benny Higgins and Jack Guinness gather together to celebrate the inaugural Chovgan Twilight Polo Gala Dinner. This exclusive event took place at the renowned Ham Polo Club, only eight miles from Hyde Park Corner and the last remaining polo club in Greater London, in aid of War Child and The Naked Heart Foundation.
The event saw well-known players such as Pancho Marin Moreno and Ruki Baillieu play a high-octane game of polo by twilight (which resulted in a 6-4.5 win to Baku Guardians), before guests were seated for a sumptuous three-course gala dinner which consisted of aged parmesan with truffle honey, artichoke hearts and chargrilled peppers, tagliata of beef with a rocket, watercress and parmesan salad and meringue gelato cake with chocolate sauce and raspberries. Guests and VIPs alike enjoyed entertainment from the incredible magician Dynamo (including model and DJ Jack Guinness who was seen eagerly participating in one of Dynamo’s acts), followed by a live performance from electronic pop duo, The Alpines.
On the night, guests raised much needed funds for War Child and The Naked Heart Foundation through both a live and silent charity auction. Luxury, money-can’t-buy prizes and experiences included an original signed Damien Hirst spin painting, a stay at the Lux Belle Mare resort in Mauritius and a Lev Leviev Diamond bracelet. Throughout the evening guests enjoyed Laurenti Champagne and AIX Rosé, with luxury bars provided by the newly opened Café Kaizen, Hanover Square. VIP attendees included Nasib Piriyev, Princess Tamara Czartoryski, Natalia Vodianova, Lindsay Lohan, Dynamo, Jack Guinness, Amber Atherton, The Alpines, Ben Elliot, Tom Law, Anouska De Georgiou, Abby King, DJ Jakki Degg, Sol Campbell, Camilla Rutherford, Sabine Roemer and Benny Higgins.
Natalia Vodianova dazzled in a beautiful cream suit and trouser combination with snake-skin style Christian Louboutin shoes, whilst My Flash Trash jewellery designer Amber Atherton opted for a floor length Florence Bridge dress.
Nasib Piriyev, Co-Founder of The PNN Group said: “It was such a privilege to host the first Twilight Polo event of its kind, and to have so many wonderful guests join us for this special occasion – including representatives from the extremely worthwhile charities War Child and The Naked Heart Foundation. I hope everyone enjoyed the evening’s entertainment and, of course, the first Twilight Polo match of its kind, whilst also generously supporting these important causes.”
The all-important results:
– Winning Team – Baku Guardians
– Runners Up – PNN Group
– The Lalique Most Valuable Player Award, presented by Sol Campbell – Jack Baillieu (7)
– The Whale Gaming Best Playing Pony Award, presented by Princess Tamara Czartoryski – Poroto, owned and played by Charlie Pidgley
Chovgan Twilight Polo Gala is a private company created in 2014 in London, England, with the goal of integrating the sport of polo and luxury brands to raise money for nominated charities. The Chovgan Twilight Polo Gala is hosted by Princess Tamara Czartoryski, an event that has already attracted some of the UK’s leading polo players, all keen to lend their support to the fundraiser and annual gala. Celebrating the history of Polo, ‘Chovgan’ was one of the first forms of modern-day polo, a sport that was very popular in the Middle East centuries ago.
PNN Group is a family business founded in 1993 by Nizami Piriyev and his son Nasib Piriyev. Within two decades it has grown into an international corporation, with business interests in 10 countries. Sectors that the Group operates in include Oil & Gas, Food & Retail, Luxury & Lifestyle, Finance & Consulting, and Arts & Media.
The Baku Guardians is an Azerbaijani polo team set up in 2014 and based in London, UK. The team is patronised by Nasib Piriyev and supported by the PNN Group. The players continue a tradition that began in Azerbaijan with the Chovgan game, the forerunner of modern polo. In May 2014, Baku Guardians took part in its first tournament – the British Royal Charity Polo Cup.
Huntsman is Savile Row’s most established tailoring house, its team of cutters and tailors crafting the finest bespoke, made to measure and ready to wear tailoring by hand. Huntsman has a 160 year history of producing the finest suits, sports jackets, country and formal wear from the heart of Savile Row. The company’s team of cutters and tailors are at the top of their field and are amongst the industry’s finest craftsman. Our elegant and distinctive house style combined with the finest cloths from the UK and Italy ensure that the house produces consistently exceptional and beautiful clothing.
“War Child believes no child should be the victim of war, and are the only international charity that focuses its work solely on children suffering the brutal effects of conflict. As the shocking news attests on a daily basis, children are too often hit hardest by conflict. War Child’s unique, challenging work saves the lives of the most vulnerable children offering them a lifeline and hope for the future. War Child’s programmes are focused on protecting children, helping them to gain an education and enabling children and their families to create their own opportunities for the years ahead.” Rob Williams, CEO, War Child.
The Naked Heart Foundation is an international charity that was founded by supermodel and philanthropist Natalia Vodianova in 2004. Ten years on, the Foundation is one of the most prominent NGOs working in Russia. The organisation’s main goal is to end Russia’s long-standing tradition of placing children with special needs and learning disabilities in care homes and orphanages. The charity develops family support services across the country and builds inclusive play facilities to provide safe play environments for children of all abilities. To date, it has built more than 120 accessible play parks and playgrounds across Russia, it runs a Family Support Centre in Nizhny Novgorod and play libraries in Tula and Tver. The Naked Heart Foundation supports the projects of dozens of other Russian NGOs and runs a large-scale education project in Nizhny Novgorod. The charity also holds an annual International Forum for childcare professionals and carries out extensive advocacy work aimed at changing attitudes to disability in Russia.
Chovgan Twilight Polo’s Inaugural Gala was kindly sponsored by The PNN Group, Baku Guardians and Huntsman.
