Eight teams are set to battle for the annual Fawcus Cup/Moi Polo Championships at Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil from this afternoon.
The three-day tournament will be the second competition in this season’s Kenya Polo Association calendar of events that commenced with the Rift Valley Trophy last month at the same venue before the next tournament was cancelled a week later due to heavy rainfall.
Yesterday, Kenya Polo Association (KPA) chairman Gordon Millar indicated they were ready to proceed with this weekend’s event ahead of Christmas Championships to be hosted at the same venue next weekend.
This afternoon, the top six teams have an equal chance of scooping the Fawcus Cup as all of them are handicap 4 with an equal handicap of experienced players who have in the past featured for different national teams in different international championships.
Among the teams are Nairobi Polo Club, a family outfit of the Nzomos led by Raphael (2.5), Jadini, Hiromi and Amani who take on Brookside Fruitness at 3pm.
The Brookside side is composed of handicap 2.5 Tiva Gross, Ben Sronewigg, Harry Stichbury and Lochie Stichbury, who are all experienced players.
“Brookside is a strong side but we are equal to the task though we are facing them as a family outfit. It is meant to shape the young players as they plan for national and international assignments next season,” said Raphael, who is also KPA vice chairman.
The first match at 12 noon pits Manyatta against Brookside Dairy Best.
Having missed the Rift Valley Championships, Gideon Moi makes a comeback when he captains the John Deer Black. Izzy Parsons, William Millar and Pyyllipa Gulden are part of the team.