Polo: Under-18 squad gear up for Lusaka tournament

Gideon Moi (left) of Mambo battles out with Ben Stone-wigg of Track Rack during the American Polo Tournament at Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil, Nakuru county on December 9, 2018. [Kipsang Joseph/Standard]

National under-18 team have started training ahead of Lusaka International Championships set for Lusaka, Zambia, on August 23.

The team includes handicap two Jadini Nzomo, handicap one Ben Stonewigg, Tom Stonewigg(0.5) and William Millar(0.5) while handicap 0.5 Megan Griffiths is a reserve player.

Nzomo is expected to lead the team after a good show at the Fawcus and Connaught Cup Championships at Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil, which helped improve his handicap from -0.5 to 2.

Richard Stonewigg is coaching the team at Manyatta Polo Club. The 17-year-old Jadini emerged the Most Valuable Player in the Fawcus and Connaught Cups Championships and makes his debut in the national team.

“We are trying to train these young players. And we can achieve our target by exposing them to to such competitions,” said Kenya Polo Association chairman Gordon Millar.

Millar said Mugs of Mugs Polo Championships at Northern Kenya Polo Club in Timau will be held on August 15-18 and it’s one biggest tournament in the federation’s calendar of events.

Bwana Beg and Connaught Championships will follow at the same venue on August 23-25.

He asked players to honour the two tournaments ahead of two international championships at Nairobi Polo Club from September 13-15 and September 18-20 in a 6-goal and 14-goal tournaments respectively.