London, England, August 10, 2011 – Leading manufacturer Embraer Executive Jets will be sponsoring the inaugural ‘Aviation Polo Challenge’, with legendary rock drummer Kenney Jones presenting the winners’ trophy.
Kenney Jones, legendary rock drummer, avid polo player and owner of Hurtwood Park Polo Country Club, will be presenting the winners’ trophy at the London Executive Aviation (LEA)/RotorMotion ‘Aviation Polo Challenge’ on Saturday August 20.
The event is being organised by London Executive Aviation (LEA), one of Europe’s largest business jet charter operators, and top helicopter charter business RotorMotion. The two rivals for aerial supremacy will for once be competing on the ground, with a team from each company taking to the field at Hurtwood Park Polo Country Club (Surrey) on Saturday August 20 this year.
Embraer Executive Jets’ European sales director Simon Burrows says: “We are always eager to support the business aviation community and strengthen relationships with our leading customers like LEA. The company already operates a charter fleet including six Embraer Legacy 600s and two Embraer Legacy 650s, the largest non-fractional Legacy fleet in the world. We can’t wait to help LEA expand with further additions.”
George Galanopoulos, LEA’s managing director and team captain, adds: “We’re delighted Embraer – one of the most prestigious names in the industry – will be sponsoring the ‘Aviation Polo Challenge’. We’re equally thrilled another ‘big-hitter’, Kenney Jones, will be presenting the trophy. Let’s just hope he’s presenting it to me!”
Alongside his stellar music career with bands including ‘The Who’, ‘The Faces’ and ‘The Small Faces’, Jones is a helicopter pilot, an avid polo player and, indeed, the owner of Hurtwood Park Polo Country Club.
Galanopoulos’s rival team captain, RotorMotion’s managing director Philip Louis Amadeus, is a Hurtwood member, and says: “It’s great Kenney will be joining us. I’m also pleased to say one of our RotorMotion Agusta A109E Power helicopters will be on show at the event. We operate the largest charter fleet of these wonderful helicopters in the UK, and probably in Europe.
“We’re inviting everyone involved in the business aviation industry along, with their partners and children, to share the day with us.”
Gates open at 12:00, with the match itself beginning at 13:00. A traditional Argentinean asado (barbecue) and drinks will run through until 16:00. Robert Burke, a highly respected polo coach and, appropriately, a former test pilot, will be commentating on the match and explaining the rules for novices.
