Christmas Moi cup Championships brings top ponies to Gilgil

Kimoi Moi (centre) Manyatta Cider team. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

With the end of Moi Cup Championships last weekend, it opened doors for the Christmas Polo Championships that begins on Friday at Manyatta Polo Club.

Top riders, who featured in last weekend's event, are expected to be joined by those who missed it as it marks the end of the season's activities organised by Kenya Polo Association.

The dry and windy climate seems to have favoured the riders and their ponies.

KPA activities were affected by the Africa Horse Sickness that forced isolation of all ponies in the four polo clubs in the country after it was discovered early in the year.

"African Horses Sickness had affected our calendar of events, but we are back to business with the Christmas championships, being the second event of our activities," said former KPA chairman Gordon Millar.

Millar, a member of Manyatta Polo Club said they were yet to release the official programme of matches this afternoon, a development that indicated late confirmations by participants.

While calling on participants to make their confirmations early enough last weekend, the club's vice-captain Geoff Morley said the event would be bigger and better.

"Kindly make your early confirmations with me so that we know who is who. And kindly be aware, the event will be bigger and bigger," he said.

Among those expected are two key players who starred last weekend. They include handicap 2 Will Millar and handicap 0 Hiromi Nzomo.

The tournament hits-off at 12pm.