Polo back in Nairobi next week

By Omulo Okoth

The equestrian fraternity is bracing for some exciting polo competitions in the coming weeks, starting next weekend at the Nairobi Polo Club in Jamhuri Park.

The tournament will be on the July 23-25 weekend and the weekend of July 30-31 and August 1.

Both weekends will feature Senior, Intermediate and Junior Polo categories.

"We expect to see 12 teams and 48 players ranging from the top players in the country to young members starting tournament polo for the first time. There are likely to be over 200 horses at Jamhuri for this event," Dominic Grammaticas, chairman of Kenya Polo Association told FeverPitch yesterday.

The title sponsor for the second weekend is Signon Freight. There are a number of subsidiary sponsors whose names will be confirmed next week, he said.

After that tournament, the Mugs Mug will be held on the August 19-22 weekend at North Kenya Polo Club in Timau and will continue the following weekend at the same venue.

But the biggest event on the polo calendar will be the Nairobi International set to be held on September 17-19 and the September 24-26 weekend at the Jamhuri Park, Nairobi.

Grammaticas said the event will feature some respected and highly ranked players from Argentina and South Africa.

This will be the highlight of the polo calendar in Kenya this year. Last year, the International tournament featured Naatjie du Plessis of South Africa, who is Africa’s top ranked player at seven goals handicap. To follow the International will be the October 15 - 17 Gilgil Tournament at Manyatta Polo Club, continuing to the following weekend.

Gilgil Christmas tournament will be on December 10-12 at Gilgil going on to the December 17-19.

Variously referred to as the king of sports or the sport for the kings, polo has continued to gain popularity, not just among the top notch society circles, but even among ordinary sports fans, many of them racing enthusiasts who never miss horse racing at the nearby Ngong Racecourse every weekend.

Last year’s Mugs Mug was watched by hundreds of people, who turn out with members of their families.

Kenya’s top ranked players Casimir Gross and James Murray, both of North Kenya Club, and Richard Stonewigg of Manyatta are handicap 3.5. They are all expected at the on-coming tournaments.

Handicap two players are Peter Griffiths (Nairobi), Henry Limb, Craig Millar and Gordon Millar (Manyatta).

Among those who are expected to spice up the events are handicap one Philip Arunga, Johnson Asenga, Hassan Hussein, Jack Oletoto and Sean Wilson-Smith (all Nairobi Club).