The Soldier’s Salute Polo Tournament, held at the Nairobi Polo Club this past weekend, has been touted as a huge success.
The teams put on an exhilarating display of skill and strategy, and the final match between Tusker Malt and Radio Africa was a nail-biting affair. In the end, Tusker Malt emerged victorious, with a final score of 5 goals to Radio Africa’s 3.5.
The tournament is named after its convener, Retired Major Jamie Hayward, who donated the trophy in 2016, and has been a fixture of the January calendar at the Nairobi Polo Club since then, drawing in polo enthusiasts from across the country and even from abroad.
The tournament, which was sponsored by Kenya Breweries Limited, through Tusker Malt, Kenya’s first home-grown premium beer brand, has seen a notable increase in the number of new fans of polo who thronged the Nairobi Polo Club to spectate and learn more about the sport. This is the result of a deliberate push by the brand to combine the sport of polo with the finest premium beer experience. This has resulted in a new, premium experience for consumers and fans of polo.
The Chief Guest at the event, Captain Nitesh Garg, Defence Attaché at the Indian High Commission in Nairobi, had this to say: “I am impressed with the turnout and enthusiasm at the Soldier’s Salute Polo Tournament. Polo is a sport that requires great skill and discipline, and it is a pleasure to see these qualities on display here today. I encourage sponsors to continue investing in the sport of Polo and to promote it as a way to bring people together.”
Kenya Breweries Head of Media Futures, Waithera Kabiru, congratulated the winners and urged attendees to enjoy themselves responsibly: “The tournament is not only about winning, but also from our perspective, about encouraging people to drink better, and not more.”
The January tournaments conclude next weekend, at the Chairman’s Cup, which will take place on January 28-29. The tournament will not only be a celebration of the sport of Polo but also an opportunity for people to come together and enjoy a day out in the sun, watching some of the best players in the country compete for the coveted trophy.