Red carpet for premier club Polo event - Capital Sports
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Features

Red carpet for premier club Polo event

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 3- Inanda Polo Club laid out the red carpet for equestrian enthusiasts and fashionistas that congregated for the premier Inanda Africa Cup in Johannesburg last weekend.

At the end of the three day show that married top polo action, glamour and a healthy dose of charity, it was Inanda Polo Academy (IPA) who carried the day with 10-6 victory over the seasoned Team Green Machine.

The party is still going on for the winners who succeeded last year’s champions, Supa Guavas who opted out of the title defence.

IPA led by Murray Butcher had to rally 2-4 from behind in the second chukka to take the lead 6-4 in the third before sealing victory over the experienced Team Green Machines 10-6 by the end of the fifth.

Team Green Machine through their three-goaler Wayne Hartley, took the lead after he scored a brace. Team-mate Wareen Lurie a two-goaler then followed with another brace in the third chukka.

IPA captain Butcher came to the rescue in the third chukka to score a penalty equalizing 4-4 and not long after Crispin Cheadle gave them a 5-4 lead.

By the fourth chukka IPA had their eyes on the prestigious trophy with Butcher scoring the winning goal. With heads held up high Butcher had scored four goals for their emphatic win while Cheadle and James each scored a hat trick for IPA.

Various teams competed in this year’s event including African Polistas, Linetrale, Rutland Ridge, Veuve Cliquot Champs, Inanda Renegades, Envirobiz, Los Potros and Polo Africa, a development side. Players from Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt were among them.

Glamour

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

The Sunday final was a culmination of three days of polo action that saw hundreds thronged the Inanda Polo Club.

South Africa Tourism made it possible for journalists from various countries to cover the event by hosting the to a three day visit as part of their showcase of this beautiful country down south.

For the final day it was a beautiful sunny setting with polo enthusiasts and others not as passionate donning high end attire in all colour, sizes, design and taste.

It stayed true to its billing as event to showcase high end African fashion but on the pitch the prowess and skills of some of the best horsemen on the continent that included club teams from Nigeria and Ghana were on display.

Besides the glitz and glamour on parade, a VIP fundraising dinner was also organised to raise funds for the Inanda Club’s chosen beneficiaries, namely: Alexandra Aids Orphans and the Highveld Horse Care Unit.

The event also featured a groom’s race and the test of ‘horse power’ where a thoroughbred pony raced against a high performance vehicle.

Polo in Africa

South Africa’s Polo president Walter Grinrod said the premier event was, “A leading initiative within the promotion of club polo within Africa. If you look at Inanda, it’s not an international competition even if we are competing against Kenya, or Zimbabwe. It’s a sort of test-the-water-to-see how the club system works continentally.”

He believes that it will be a great gesture to get more participation from other countries in developing the sport on the continent.

“I think it will be a great initiative if we could get some internationally recognized sides by the association of African countries. That will be the next step but at the moment this will remain as a club event.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

His parting words were simple and to the point.

“The future looks good, we need more African countries in here but certainly this is the best I have seen in all the years we have played the Inanda.”

This year’s event followed the success of previous edition which was won by the Supa Guavas.

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 3- Inanda Polo Club laid out the red carpet for equestrian enthusiasts and fashionistas that congregated for the premier Inanda Africa Cup last weekend.


At the end of the three day show that married top polo action, glamour and a healthy dose of charity, it was the Inanda Polo Academy (IPA) who carried the day with 10-6 victory over the seasoned Team Green Machine.

The party is still going on for the winners who succeeded last year’s champions, Supa Guavas who opted out of the title defence.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

IPA led by Murray Butcher had to rally 2-4 from behind in the second chukka to take the lead 6-4 in the third before sealing victory over the experienced Team Green Machines 10-6 by the end of the fifth.

Team Green Machine through their three-goaler Wayne Hartley, took the lead after he scored a brace. Team-mate Wareen Lurie a two-goaler then followed with another brace in the third chukka.

IPA captain Butcher came to the rescue in the third chukka to score a penalty equalizing 4-4 and not long after Crispin Cheadle gave them a 5-4 lead.

By the fourth chukka IPA had their eyes on the prestigious trophy with Butcher scoring the winning goal. With heads held up high Butcher had scored four goals for their emphatic win while Cheadle and James each scored a hat trick for IPA.

Various teams competed in this year’s event including African Polistas, Linetrale, Rutland Ridge, Veuve Cliquot Champs, Inanda Renegades, Envirobiz, Los Potros and Polo Africa, a development side. Players from Nigeria, Ghana and Egypt were among them.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

GLAMOUR

The Sunday final was a culmination of three days of polo action that saw hundreds thronged the Inanda Polo Club.

South Africa Tourism made it possible for journalists from various countries to cover the event by hosting the to a three day visit as part of their showcase of this beautiful country down south.

For the final day it was a beautiful sunny setting with polo enthusiasts and others not as passionate donning high end attire in all colour, sizes, design and taste.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

It stayed true to its billing as event to showcase high end African fashion but on the pitch the prowess and skills of some of the best horsemen on the continent that included club teams from Nigeria and Ghana were on display.

Besides the glitz and glamour on parade, a VIP fundraising dinner was also organised to raise funds for the Inanda Club’s chosen beneficiaries, namely: Alexandra Aids Orphans and the Highveld Horse Care Unit.

The event also featured a groom’s race and the test of ‘horse power’ where a thoroughbred pony raced against a high performance vehicle.

POLO IN AFRICA

South Africa’s Polo president Walter Grinrod said the premier event was, “A leading initiative within the promotion of club polo within Africa. If you look at Inanda, it’s not an international competition even if we are competing against Kenya, or Zimbabwe. It’s a sort of test-the-water-to-see how the club system works continentally.”

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

He believes that it will be a great gesture to get more participation from other countries in developing the sport on the continent.

“I think it will be a great initiative if we could get some internationally recognized sides by the association of African countries. That will be the next step but at the moment this will remain as a club event.

His parting words were simple and to the point.

“The future looks good, we need more African countries in here but certainly this is the best I have seen in all the years we have played the Inanda.”

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

This year’s event followed the success of previous edition which was won by the Supa Guavas.

Advertisement

More on Capital Sports

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 – DStv and GOtv subscribers are in for a treat of the world’s best football this week as the 2020-21...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – There is light at the end of the tunnel. After failed promises over the last three years since its...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Gentrix Shikangwa scored with two minutes left as Vihiga Queens sailed to the final of the CECAFA regional qualifiers...

NFL

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Kenya’s history making Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in America’s National Football League (NFL), is now living...

© 2024 Capital Digital Media. Capital Group Limited. All Rights Reserved