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Adrian wins Open Golf Championship

THE Open Golf Championship held at the Al Ain Golf sand course was duly won by Mr Adrian Flaherty, one of the pre-competition favorites.

Early in the first round the pro expressed his opinion that the course was "fine and interesting", although it was his first experience playing in Al Ain. This positive attitude helped him make the necessary adjustments around the sand browns and in the testing windy conditions. His winning margin was a comfortable 12 shots.

Local golfers made valiant attempts in pursuit, but it was left to Jacko Breytenbach to record the best nett score over the two days.

Jacko has been a resident in Al Ain until his recent move to Abu Dhabi and his success will be a source of satisfaction to many, as during his stay in the Garden City he was instrumental in many of the improvements to be experienced on the course.

ENGH opens study centre

THE Al Ain branch of the Emirates Natural History Group erected a milestone in its development with the opening of a study centre at the Al Ain English Speaking School. The facility, which abuts onto a classroom, was a former store and has been extensively renovated by members, particularly through the efforts of Chairman Brien Holmes and Dr Brigitte Howarth.

Last week, the study centre was inaugurated at a regular meeting of the group at which the use of movement activated night cameras was also demonstrated. Members have been using this technology to photograph desert animals at night in the area around the Capital of the Eastern Region.

The occasion was also an opportunity for Chairman Brien Holmes to announce a donation of Dh1,000 to the school for use in the libraries. Mr Holmes presented the first volume, appropriately Wild Flowers of the United Arab Emirates by Marijcke Jongbloed, herself a former resident of Al Ain, to the School Principal James G. Crawford.

The study centre is the only one of its kind among ENHG groups in the UAE and the Chairman looks forward to demonstrating its use at the Inter-Emirates ENHG convocation, which Al Ain hosts in the early part of the new year.

Environmental issues play a significant part in the broad and balanced curriculum of AAESS.

Last week at the Secondary School assembly, sixth form students John Wilson, Peter Charnley, Kashif Sultan Ali Khan and Amy McCaskie were presented with watches for the work that they had done in a recent competition organised by the Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA) and sponsored by Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi.

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