The competitive season is finally underway at the Malta Polo Club, with the first match of the season to be held on Saturday. This match will follow the ‘American Tournament’ format with three teams playing a total of six chukkas – a feast of polo for all spectators and supporters of this, the King of Games.

The prize awaiting the winners of this tournament is two-fold, firstly, the team will be presented with the Ormsby-Johnson Cup, a prestigious trophy that has been part of the club for some 50 years, and also the reward of representing the club against a visiting Spanish team on Saturday week.

The three teams are made up as follows:

Desmond Mizzi (Capt), Matthew Borg, Keith Wismayer and George Lyttleton; Baron Joe Manduca (capt), Patrick Filletti, Mark Darmanin and Edward Bartolo/Mike Neundlinger; Julian Mamo (capt), Karl Galea, Ivan Camilleri and Chris Delia

The Spanish visitors are expected to field a strong team on 16 April and the match will be played in the presence of Her Excellency the Ambassador of Spain. The winners here will be presented with the impressive King of Spain Cup which has been in the possession of the Malta Polo Club since 1928. The Spanish players will be given the opportunity to try out their horses on 14 April during club chukkas.

Both matches will start at 4.30pm, spectators are invited to watch the event from the polo pavilion free of charge. The pavilion can be found on the Marsa Sports Club road, opposite the temporary access bridge to the club.