ponylines [news] Championships, book launches, bright young things and much more
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ONE TO WATCH: BEST AMATEUR Seventeen-year old Rashid Albwardy is thought to be the youngest amateur player ever to compete in the British Open Championship for the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup. A 0-goaler with no high-goal experience until this year, Rashid played at No. 1 for Dubai, in front of 10-goaler Adolfo Cambiaso. He scored seven goals in their six matches in the Open, which they finally lost to La Bamba de Areco. After the Open the HPA raised Rashid’s handicap to 1 for 2010. Rashid began playing polo at the age of 10 at the Albwardy farm in the United Arab Emirates, taught by his father Ali. Since then he had only played low goal in Dubai, but has been coached by Martin Valent, the Dubai team manager, in both Dubai and England. Rashid is currently studying for a MBA degree in London with a view to joining his father’s business in the UAE, but is likely to be back in the highgoal Dubai team next season.
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28/9/09 10:05:13
