It was a tough match but they emerged victorious after using all tricks in their book to win the opening tussle of the Six-Goal- Kenya International match at Nairobi Polo Club on Friday.
That was when Terra Agility Africa registered a slim 5-4 victory over Samurai in a tensioned packed scoring spree match to open the three-day competition on a high.
Terra Agility Africa team of South African Martin Watson, Jamie Excel, Phyllippa Gulden and Alice Owambo were in a class of their own in the first two chukkas before the heaven broke lose on them in the last two (chukkas) but they put up a brave show to win the match.
Gulden opened the scores for her team in the first chukka before Excel added two more in the second one to lead 3-0 by the end of that chukka.
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In the third chukka, Isaac Maina reduced the deficits for Samurai whose exploits saw Raph Nzomo provide major assists that saw Craig Millar score a hatrick in the fourth chukka.
Terra Agility Africa who could not contain the efforts of the spirited Samurai in the third chukka came back into the game in the fourth chukka, which was equally contested to a score a double through Watson to sink their opponents in their opening match.
The matches involve composite international Kenya and South African sides with players mixed from the two sides in testing the Kenyañ horses ahead of the epic matches next week at the same venue.
In the second match between Afri Send and Manus, the match ended 8-4 in favour of the former.
Will Millar and Callum Shaw each scored a hatrick with Kelvin Jumba a double for Afri Send to win the match with a landslide.
South African David Evans pulled a hatrick for the losers as Simon Muchene provided another consolation goal to reduce the deficit.
In another match, Tusker Malt walloped Hennessy 8-6 in a closely contested encounter at the same venue.
The event enters the second day today.
FRIDAY RESULTS
Terra Agility Africa 5 Samurai 4.
Afri Send 8 Manus 4.
Tusker Malt 8 Hennessy 6.