DUBAI // Two of the world's major polo-playing families, one Emirati and one from Argentina, are to join forces on Friday for the inaugural Diamond Polo Cup.
Bin Drai Polo, originally an all-brother team that began with Humaid bin Drai, the father of polo in the UAE, and the Argentine Novillo Astrada family are combining to put on a 20-goal exhibition match at Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club this weekend.
The match format means the combined handicap of players on each team adds up to 20 goals.
Polo players are rated on a scale from minus-2 to 10, with the best players carrying the highest handicap.
Saeed bin Drai, the organiser of the event, said that his ambition was to promote polo to the UAE with a long-term view to making the event not only annual but also international.
"With this tournament we will welcome some of the greatest polo players in the world," he said.
"The Novillo Astrada brothers are the family behind the great La Aguada Polo Team, which participates in the Argentine Open in Buenos Aires - the highest level of polo in the world." Two teams, Zedan Polo and Bin Drai Polo will participate in the match.
Jordan's Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein, the brother of Princess Haya, will join with Amr F Zedan, and brothers, Alejandro and Julio Novillo Astrada on the Zedan Polo Team.
The Bin Drai side will feature Saeed bin Drai, who will play alongside Adriano and Eduardo Novillo Astrada and their fellow Argentine, Ignacio Toccalino.
"Dubai has long been the Mecca for the racing world," said bin Drai, who sees it as his mission to continue the promotion of polo, which his father started almost 40 years ago when he built the old Dubai Polo Club near Al Awir.
"My father started polo in this country in 1974, and although he never played himself, his sons did. When I returned from university I also took up the sport because I had been participating in jet ski and motorbike racing, and I was bored and wanted to try something different.
"With this event I came to realise that there was an opportunity to provide the country with a tournament of the highest standard, filling a niche market.
"The idea is that this event becomes a vehicle to develop the sport of polo, and I hope to see it evolve and develop into something different every year.
"Ten years ago there were just two or three polo teams in the UAE. Now we see that there are more than six, and the sport is growing all the time."
The Diamond Polo Cup will play out before a crowd of invitation-only VIPs at the polo venue near to Arabian Ranches in Dubai.
Special guests include the Lebanese singer, Elissa, as well as a number of sports stars.
sports@thenational.ae
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
MATCH INFO
Crawley Town 3 (Tsaroulla 50', Nadesan 53', Tunnicliffe 70')
Leeds United 0
COMPANY PROFILE
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● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
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● No of employees: Nine
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Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
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