All are set for Northern Kenya Polo Championships

Tanqueray's Louis Roumeguere salute after their match with Samurai during Chairman's Cup at Nairobi Polo Club on Sunday Jan 30, 2022. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

It is a chance for low handicap players to sharpen their skills in the season-opening Northern Kenya Polo Championships to be played at Timau Sports Club this afternoon.

The tournament has been divided into two divisions with senior players taking part in the Timau Stores Challenge Cup and juniors in the Abadan Cup.

Today, three junior handicap -2 players are on the spot as they are all out to do their best to catch the eyes of the Handicap Committee in their ambition to improve on their handicaps while playing in Abadan Cup.

They are Bobby Kamani, Kelvin Jumba and Josephine Gauld, all members of the Nairobi Polo Club.

In order to assist the trio achieve their ambitions, they are grouped with senior players in their respective teams and it should be an inspiration to them.

International and handicap 5.5 Casimir Gross and handicap 2.5 Izzy Parsons have been grouped to play alongside Kamani and Gauld in the handicap 4 Topik team while Jumba is in the handicap 3.5 Artea team of Jamie Murray(4.5), Tiva Gross(2.5) and Lochy Murray(-1.5).

Gross and Parsons are the best male and female players in Kenya and therefore their experience and expertise come in handy for Kamani and Gauld.

” Playing chukkas with experienced players in Nairobi will only help me improve on my game and prepare me as much as possible for Timau tournaments,” Kamani told Standard Sports.

Kamani said the love for horses runs in his bloodline after learning to ride the beautiful creatures while in Dubai, something that was inculcated and nurtured by his mother while still young and would wish his children to follow his footsteps and later produce a lineage of polo players.

“We can only give our children the tools (horses and riding skills) to prepare themselves for the future and the rest will be entirely on them,” said Kamani.

Topik play handicap 3.5 Artea team of Jamie Murray(4.5), Tiva Gross(2.5), Lochy Murray(-1.5) and Jumba (Kelvin) in the three-day round robin series ending Sunday.

“I’m happy that the new season is here with us and looking forward to a two weekend playing polo in Timau,” he said.

In the Timau Stores Challenge Cup, three matches are lined up today.

Touchdown Forte take on Syngenta in the first match and thereafter take on Topik 1. Topik 1 later play their second match against Syngenta.

The last match this afternoon pits Amistra Extra against Cruiser.

Today’s matches.

ABADAN CUP.

1pm – Topik Vs Artea.

TIMAU STORES CHALLENGE CUP.

2pm - Touchdown Forte Vs Syngenta.

3pm – Touchdown Forte Vs Topik I.

3.30pm - Topik I Vs Syngenta.

4pm - Amistra Extra Vs Cruiser.