Johannesburg - It was a day of African fashion, champagne and riveting polo at the Cell C Inanda Africa Cup, which took place this past weekend at the Inanda Club, located in the heart of Sandton. The tournament brought a pivotal moment for Titan Law Zimbabwe as they won the clash for the 2019 championship title, clinching the most coveted polo trophy. Distinctive in their team colors, flaunting thrilling action and showing extreme skills of the highest degree, the esteemed team earned a final score of 6-3 over Kego Mining South Africa. The enthusiasm of match commentator, Matt Poll, kept everyone on the edge of their seats throughout the grand finale match. The score was 0-0 at the end of the first chukka, then Gareth Meikle scored his first penalty shot, putting Titan Law Zimbabwe in the lead in the second. Defensive play by female polo player, Lean Spark (0) never wavered, warranting Kego Mining a goal in the second chukka. Titan Law Zimbabwe expanded the margin to 5- 1 at halftime. Meikle scored another penalty in the final chukka, and his team maintained a comfortable advantage for the rest of the match, leading to their glorious victory of 6-3. “Polo is a sport with global appeal and one that is very aspirational. The teams that participated in this nail-biting knock-out tournament, dedicated to showcasing their highest quality polo talent and skills, all deserve a huge congratulations.” Gareth Meikle, Titan Law Zimbabwe. The plate final was between Blue Label Telecoms and Ghana Polista’s. The match was tense with a score of 3-3 in the third chukka. Teammates Crispin Cheadle (3) and Craig James (3) changed their defense tactics, opening the field for Zac Levy (-1), the youngest player in the tournament, to score consecutive goals. The 13-year-old Zac managed to score despite being marked by a player 10 years his senior and two handicaps higher. Blue Label Telecoms took the game with a 6-3 win in the final chukka. “Participating in the Cell C Inanda Africa Cup has been wonderful, we look forward to coming back again next year, to take the Cup Title,” adds Harold Awuah-Darko Jr. who has played in several editions of the annual Cup and previously lifted the winner’s trophy. The title for the Most Valued Player (MVP) was awarded to Gareth Meikle of Titan Law Zimbabwe. Titan Law also chalked up another win with David Evans’ Rio, which was ridden by Gareth Meikle, being selected as the Most Valued Pony (MVP). Further polo highlights celebrated the magnetic ‘horse vs. machine’ race with a polo pony’s speed put to the test in what the automaker called an “honorable contest.” The best polo pony of the day pitted against the luxurious German masterpiece, the BMW Z4. The winner – the ‘Machine’. The Inanda Club grounds and refined Polo Room were adorned with a lifestyle exposé exhibiting the finest car display by the official vehicle partner, BMW Sandton with models 850i and the 750il from their latest range. Top of the range BMWX5’s provided a luxury shuttle service to all guests on the day to the various venues within the Inanda Club. This year, the polo affair themed #ARTANDAFRICANSPIRIT drew fashion cognoscente to the art lifestyle installation. Bursting with riots of textures, prints and fashion from diverse designers including The African Style Story, Black Coffee, Clive Rundle, De Mil, Ephymol, Floyd Avenue, Helen Asrat, House of Olé, Klipa, Ledikana, MusoMaxwell, Roman Handt, Sies! Isabelle, Sindiso Khumalo, Sober, Thula Sindi and XV by Ntando. The showcase curated by Anna-Mari Claasen also boasted an array of eclectic designers such as Airloom, Galago, Indalo Intricate, Kaross, Melweg, One of Each, Rialheim, SMTNG Good X Serati Ltd and The Urban Native. The day proved a superb guest list of business elites, polo enthusiasts and A-list guests, which included the likes of Nthati Moshesh, Penny Lebyane, Thando Thabethe, Mihlali Ndamase and orchestrating the day was the charismatic television actor and presenter, Lunga Shabalala, one of the most recognizable faces in South Africa. As with most equestrian sports, the fashion worn on the sidelines has always been part of the atmosphere of the event and as a tradition, with the best-dressed awards as a highlight of the day. Lunga awarded the Prizes for Best Dressed Female to Jencey Foje, Best Dressed Male to Vuyo Varoyi while Best Dressed Couple went to Lebogang and Yolanda Nkoana. “The Cell C Inanda Africa Cup is a renowned Polo event at Inanda Club and to have sponsors such as Cell C (headline sponsor) as well as BMW Sandton (official vehicle partner ) who all share the same creativity, innovation and boldness, be a part of the event, was exhilarating.” “Guests were treated to a day of #ARTANDAFRICANSPIRIT as they all stepped out in traditional polo style and had the opportunity to create unforgettable moments. And this is what we look forward to each year.” Paul Oosthuizen, Inanda Club General Manager.
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