Guyana Cup allies with Lotto/Let’sBet T10 Tapeball Blast as Berbice Zone battles begin

In a landmark convergence of Guyana’s most passionate sporting cultures, horse racing and grassroots cricket have officially joined forces. The organisers of the marquee Guyana Cup, powered by the Jumbo Jet Auto Sales and AJM brand, have thrown their formidable weight behind the fourth Lotto/Let’sBet One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast, establishing a cross-sport alliance designed to elevate community engagement and reward local talent across the country. The collaboration brings immediate tangible benefits to the tournament’s competitive framework. Jumbo Jet and AJM have stepped in to directly sponsor the zonal rewards structure, funding the G$200,000 prize for zonal runners-up along with G$50,000 payouts for each losing semi-finalist in the Berbice zone. The first-place prize – $500,000 – is sponsored by Sawa Investment Inc, and four losing quarter-finalists’ prizes of $25,000 each are sponsored by Scoop Ride. Beyond the action on the pitch, spectators attending the tapeball fixtures stand a chance to drive away in a brand-new 4×4 pickup truck by participating in the official Guyana Cup raffle, with complimentary ticket giveaways available at match venues throughout the tournament. Speaking on the strategic tie-up, Andre Rochford, Operations Manager for the Guyana Cup, emphasised that AJM and Jumbo Jet have long served as champions for local sports and cultural development. Rochford noted that with the One Guyana T10 Tapeball widely regarded as the premier tapeball spectacle in the Caribbean, aligning it with the nation’s biggest horse racing event creates a powerful nationwide synergy, adding that Jumbo Jet is already looking toward expanding the partnership into 2027. On behalf of the tapeball organising committee, Yusuf Ali expressed deep appreciation for the boost, highlighting the transformational impact of corporate support on grassroots sport. Ali praised the partnership as a massive win for local athletes and fans alike, stating that the commitment from Jumbo Jet and AJM not only validates the dedication of the competing teams but also injects fresh energy into community sports, setting a new benchmark for corporate collaboration in Guyanese sport. The high-stakes alliance comes at a crucial moment, as the throne stands vacant and sixteen hungry teams prepare to battle for regional supremacy in the Berbice Zone leg starting Saturday, August 8. The blockbuster straight-knockout tournament features last year’s runners-up Corriverton Spartan alongside proven zonal contenders Grillmasters, Sip N Play All Stars, and Cotton Tree Die Hard. Action bowls off at 10:00h with free public admission across four simultaneous venues: the Albion Sports Complex, No. 70 Ground, Port Mourant Ground, and the Welfare Ground in Canje. The uncompromising single-elimination format guarantees intense competition from the very first delivery as teams target the G$500,000 zonal crown and a coveted place in the G$2,000,000 national grand finale. Opening day features a packed schedule across the county. At the No. 70 Ground, Match 1 pits No. 70 Village Spartans against Grillmaster Avengers CWC at 10:00h, followed by Match 2 between Champ XI and No. 73 Young Warriors at 12:00h, before the respective winners clash in Match 3 at 15:00h for a semi-final spot. Down at Port Mourant, 35 Xplosion face Grillmaster Sip N Play All Stars in Match 4 at 10:00h, preceding a heavy-hitting Match 5 encounter between Line Path Raptors and Corriverton Spartan at 12:00h, with the victors squaring off in Match 6 at 15:00h. Over at the Albion Sports Complex, Match 7 sees Ethan XI contend with Royal Warriors at 10:00h, leading into Match 8 between Meera Warriors and Lusignan Bulls DTP at 12:00h, setting up a quarter-final Match 9 clash at 15:00h. Meanwhile, at the Welfare Ground in Canje, host team Welfare XI battle Blairmont Blazers in Match 10 at 10:00h, followed by Match 11 between The Mavericks and Cotton Tree Die Hard at 12:00h, before Match 12 decides the fourth semi-finalist at 15:00h. The drama culminates on Sunday, August 9, as action shifts exclusively under the lights at the Albion Sports Complex. Semi-Final 1 ignites at 14:00h between the winners of Match 3 and Match 6, followed immediately by Semi-Final 2 at 16:00h between the winners of Match 9 and Match 12. The two surviving titans will then clash in the grand Berbice Zonal Final at 19:30h to decide who claims the regional crown. Following the Berbice curtain-raiser, the tournament caravan heads to East Bank/West Demerara on August 15–16, followed by the Essequibo Zone on August 22–23. The competition will take a brief pause to accommodate the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) before returning for the Georgetown/East Coast Demerara leg on September 26–27 and October 3–4. Organisers have urged remaining teams to complete registration via official social media channels or WhatsApp (+592 635-2235) before remaining slots are filled. Adding to the historic nature of this edition, the national grand finale on October 11, 2026, will be hosted at the Anna Regina National Stadium in Region Two.