Polo: Manyatta, John Deere Black off to flying start in Gilgil

Gideon Moi (left) of John Deere Black battles with Kimoi Moi of Mascor Blue during the Fawcus cup and the Moi Trophy at Manyatta Polo club in Gilgil, Nakuru County yesterday. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Manyatta and John Deere Black made a flying start as the Fawcus Cup/Moi Trophy Polo Championships kicked off at Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil yesterday.

Manyatta beat Brookside Dairy Best 8-4 while John Deere Black dismissed Mascor Blue 6-4 in the knockout tournament.

The match between Manyatta against Brookside Dairy Best saw both teams start on an equal footing at handicap 4 but Manyatta emerged superior in all the four chukkas as enterprising handicap 3.5 Archie Voorspuy scored five goals to steer his team to victory.

Voorspuy scored a hat-trick in the first two chukkas and two more in the third and fourth chukkas as Georgina Millar wrapped it up with another hat-trick in the third and fourth chukkas to surge ahead in their quest to win the title.

Brookside Dairy Best reduced the deficit through Ben Stonewigg and Louis Roumeguuere who each put the ball twice behind the two sticks in the first three chukka.

Izzy Parsons scored a hat-trick and William Millar a double for John Deer Black while Gideon Moi managed another in the third chukka for John Deer Black against Mascot Blue in the one sided match.

Blues scored theirs through Natasha Tisminieszky who scored all the goals.

In the second match of the Fawcus Cup, Brookside Fruitness walloped Nairobi Polo Club 6-3.5.

Nairobi Polo Club comprised the Nzomo Family of Raphael, Hiromi, Jadini and Amani while handicap 3.5 Craig Millar, Tom Stonewigg, Louis Roumeguere and Izzy Stickbury played for Brookside Fruitness.

Starting the match at the advantage of half a fraction of a goal from their low handicap, Nairobi Club played their hearts out but could not match the experience and speed of their opponents.

“One of my players in Jadini was fatigued having just arrived from England the other day (Thursday) but I’m happy he excelled in the match,” Raphael Nzomo told Standard Sports.

In the Moi Trophy Championships, Mascor White and John Deere Green settled for 2-2 draw in the first of the three round robin matches.

Fred Kambo scored a double for John Deere Green in the first chukka while Casimir Gross and Mike Mwingi each scored in the first and third chukkas for Mascor White.

The two teams take on each other again this morning.