Nairobi Polo Club chair Fred Kambo says the tournament, which begins this Friday through to Sunday, will be nothing short of entertainment on the pitch as well as on the sidelines where food, drinks and music will be flowing freely.

“What you can expect is really fun time. For me, obviously the big thing is the sport. I really care deeply for the sport…so we will have a very good game of polo. It will be a nine-goal tournament, which is relatively high, so you can expect some really good polo. Apart from that, we have fashion events that will be going on. After play, we have really nice parties …we have DJs coming in so it is a really good time for the families,” Kambo said.

The match between the two sides follows another one held in July where the Kenyan women’s team beat Zambia 11-8 at the same venue.

Despite the camaraderie heading into the weekend’s duel, Kambo is under no illusion about the Zambians’ desire to get one over the hosts.

“Zambia and Kenya have a very long friendship and tradition of playing against each other. But the Kenyan guys, we are under no illusion…these guys are here to hurt us and we are here to defend our home field,” he said.

Speaking at the same time, Zambian polo player, Harry Miller, expects a tough test from the Kenyans, having interacted and competed with some of their players in previous tournaments.

“I’ve come to Kenya before with the under-18 national team and played against some of the Kenyans before. So, I am really looking forward to that (seeing them again). I have a lot of good friends here who I have known for a while. Hopefully, we will leave everything on the field and remain friends afterwards, so I am really looking forward to that,” Miller said.

His teammate, Jamie Henderson, cannot wait to have a taste of a cold Tusker beer on Sunday, which he hopes will be a celebratory drink and not one to wash away his tears.

“I have played for the Zambian national team for a while and we have had the Kenyan team come over…I have played against some of the Kenyan players and we have made some good friends. So, I am looking forward to seeing them, playing hard on the field and on Sunday, an ice cold Tusker,” Henderson said.

Apart from the on-pitch action at East Africa’s oldest polo club, there will also be a ‘best dressed’ competition.