Orville Clarke, Freelance Writer

REIGNING HEROINE (left, Trevor Simpson) getting the better of LIKKLE BIT (Omar Walker) in last Saturday's fifth race over 1600 metres at Caymanas Park. The winner is owned by Hamark Farms and trained by Philip Feanny. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

Led by five goals from Kurt Chin, the Chukka Blue Jamaica polo team defeated the touring Indian team 9-6 to win the opening match of the series at the scenic Chukka Blue Polo Club in Sandy Bay, Hanover on Sunday.

The tourists, who flew into the island last week courtesy of Virgin Atlantic, are here to engage the Jamaicans in a four-match series from May 11 to 18 for the Jaipur Polo Trophy. Run under the auspices of the Jamaica Polo Association, the series of matches is being sponsored by FirstCaribbean Investment Bank Wealth Management.

Scheduled games

The second match is scheduled for the St Ann Polo Club and Equestrian Centre in Drax Hall tomorrow afternoon (4:30 p.m.) between a mixed team of Jamaicans and Indians, and again at Drax Hall on Saturday afternoon with a St. Ann Jamaica team opposing the Indians.

The St Ann team comprises Andy Vernon, Craig Russell, Shane Chin and Jamaica's most celebrated female player, Lesley Fong-Yee.

On Sunday, March 18, the action moves to the Caymanas Estates for the final match, this between a Kingston Polo Club team and the Indians starting at 11:00 a.m. Prior to this match the club will be hosting its Premier League final.

Early lead

The surprisingly large crowd which watched the opening match at Sandy Bay saw the Indians going ahead in the early stages of the first chukka with a goal from the highly ranked Vishal Singh. However, Jamaica rallied strongly with goals from Kurt Chin and John G. Byles to lead 2-1 at the end of the first chukka.

Thereafter, the locals never relinquished the lead, as the tournament's MVP, Kurt Chin, was rarely off target. Jamaica led 5-3 at the end of the second chukka (half time), then asserted their authority when the Chin brothers, Kurt and Shane made it 7-3 early in the third chukka.

Vishal Singh, who had earlier scored three goals for the Indians, flicked in his fourth in the third chukka before Kurt made it 8-4 going into the fourth and final chukka.

In the final chukka, the Indian captain Angad Kalaan kept their hopes alive with two quick goals to make it 8-6, but that was as close as they came. Fittingly, Kurt Chin scored the final goal for Jamaica to make it 9-6.

In addition to Kurt's five-timer, Shane scored two goals, while Byles and the dreadlocked skipper Andy Vernon flicked in one each.

Goals

For the Indians, Vishal Singh led the way with four goals, while Kalaan scored two. The other members of the Indian team were Ajit Singh and Vicky Nihalani. Associate sponsors of the series are Virgin Atlantic, Appleton, Jamaica Tours, Audi, Caribbean Products of Jamaica, Tropical Jewellers, Royal Shop as well as Round Hill in Montego Bay and Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios.