By Oscar Pilipili
After three days of great game, Keringet team emerged ultimate winners of the Horseman Trophy category during Peroni Nairobi Polo tournament.
Keringet team of handicap four Casimir Gross, Phillou Salle (2), Charlie McLellan (1) and Goeff Morley ascended to the throne after winning all their three matches in the Horseman Trophy category which was played on round robin.
Keringet won their final match by beating Peroni 6-3 in an exciting encounter to finish the contest on clean sheet in the tournament sponsored by Italian beer Peroni and well-known Kenya’s water brand Keringet.
The match started on cracking pace and handicap four Casimir Gross did well to put the pure water boys in the lead with a well executed under-neck hit in the opening minutes of the first chukka.
Then Phillous Salle lofted the ball between the posts and the goal handed Keringet 2-0 advantage at the end of the first chukka.
Peroni responded when Joss Craig charged from 60 yards and outwitted his markers to push the ball between the posts and cut Peroni’s lead to just one goal at 2-1 scores which remained on the scoreboard until the end of the second quarter.
Salle struck again in the opening minutes of the third quarter with a lovely hit to extend Keringet’s lead to 3-1 and then a goal from Gross made it 4-1 before Jamie Murray managed one more for Peroni to settle at 4-2 at the end of the third quarter.
Keringet then added two more goals in the final chukka through Salle and Casimir to complete the tournament unbeaten.
Drum team
The Welby Cup was won by Drum team of Tiva Gross, Emma Beardshaw, Aisha Gross and Sacha Gross who won all their three matches to finish at the top of the four-team contest played on round robin.
Burbridge team of Stutti Millar, Milo Mcconnell, Hiromi Nzomo and Nick Millar claimed the OMT Bowl for winning two and losing a match in the category.
LST Challenge Cup went to Shandy team of Martin Waiganjo, Toby Grammaticas, Harry Stichbury and Louis du Toit.
After the Peroni Nairobi Polo tournament, focus shifts to the Mugs Mug tournament sponsored which will be held at the same venue on July 26-29.
The SAB would provide Sh3 million as sponsorship package for the Mugs Mug tournament.
Out of the package, Sh1.5m is for title sponsorship to Nairobi Polo Club which offers the permanent rebranding of the site including the stables, club house and grounds for Peroni Polo and Sh1.5m for title events sponsorship for both weekends of the Mugs Mug and Nairobi Tournament.
The Mugs Mug tournament is the only one of its kind in East Africa. It enables junior and upcoming players to have a chance to play with more experienced, senior players in the same team.
It is the most fiercely fought low goal tournament of the season where friendly rivalries and family competitions are strongly contested on the pitch.
This year we will see 14 teams with over 200 horses with their riders and supporters take part at the historic Jamhuri Polo grounds for a sporting spectacle, unlike any other tournament in Nairobi.
