BY NONYE JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
The Kaduna Polo Club is now set to gallop off it annual tournament from 31st October to 5th of November 2023.
The President, Kaduna Polo club, President Muhammadu Babangida during an interactive session with the media on Monday seek media collaboration for effective coverage of the tournament.
The Tournament Manager, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Saleh noted that the tournament is to gallop off from the 31st October – 5th November for the Goergian and El Amin cup and from the 8th-12th November, 2023 for the Emir of Katsina and Imani cup respectively, the president said it’s going to be a new beginning for Kaduna Polo club.
“We want to tell the general public that Kaduna Polo club is ready to gallop off the 2023 annual tournament. We are ready to take off this year’s tournament, starting from 31st October to 5th November, 2023”.
“We are going to play the prestigious Georgian cup, which is the largest and oldest cup in Africa, then the Imani cup, Emir of Katsina and El-Amin cup”.
“We are expecting a lot of new selected cups because we have so many people that showed interest that they are going to sponsor a selected cups, the tournament of this year will be entirely different and we will try to make it a tournament that everybody will be happy for.
He disclosed that there will also be other trophies that will be competed for in between the major trophies being competed for.
Babangida further said, that the tournament is going to be graced with foreign players from Argentina, England, South Africa, Columbia, America and Egypt among others, adding that several teams have already indicated interest to participate in the tournament.
Meanwhile, he disclosed that the cheque presentation that normally kick start the polo tournament is scheduled for Saturday 27th October, 2023 at the polo club where partners are expected to give their financial support to the organization of the tournament.
“We are ready to do it better this time around, it’s going to be a new beginning for the club,we now have a pitch that is of international standard which has geared more teams to show interest to participate.
“We enjoin stakeholders to participate in all the activities both on the pitch and off the pitch because the new management of the club is committed to bringing back the good old days of the club, and for this tournament, we are expecting both traditional and new teams to showcase their talents, it promises to be a fruitful tournament” he stressed.
“We didn’t play polo last year 2022 because the field was not in good shape, but this year we are ready, the pitch has been put in good shape to the admiration of teams and players.
The tournament manager therefore assured that every necessary measures have already been put in place to ensure a successful and accident free tournament, and further called on partners to give maximum support to the tournament.
“All measures on and off pitch for a fruitful tournament has been put in place, we are going to stage one of the best tournament and our partners, sponsors will not regret their investment” he further assured.
The executive of Kaduna polo club include Muhammad Babangida as the President, Brig. Gen Kapeh Kazir (Rtd) 1st vice president, Muhammad Baba Askira 2nd vice president, Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed as Secretary.
Others are Ahmed Bashir Sodangi- Treasurer, Ibrahim Abu lbrahim – polo Captain, Suleiman Sani Bello- Grounds, Atiku Abubakar Saleh- Tournament manager, Aliyu Danfatoma-Entertainment, Sani Ya’u Kura- Security, Bello Mudashir- House member, Tijjani Sani -Bar member and lbrahim Mohammed as Pony welfare officer.
