This year’s Lagos International Polo Tournament lived up to expectations as the best collection of the country’s polo players as well as some international stars were on hand to display their skills at the legendary Ribadu Road, ikoyi Lagos Polo Club.
The double-phased competition galloped-off with fanfare on February 27 and ended on March 3rd, while the concluding week took place from March 6 – March 10.
Ibadan Mapo and Kano-based Ibah got the competition underway in the Open Cup with the former claiming a victory while in the second match of the day which was also a clash of teams from the two states, had HST beating Eleyele in the Dansa Cup to make up for the defeat suffered by their ‘brothers’.
Lagos Tavia Trojan also had cause to smile as they got the better of Eurovote/Sublime Group from Kano in a Dansa Cup clash.
At the end of the competition Ibah took the Dansa Cup title at the expense of Lagos Ericsson while Trojan beat HSt to retain the Open Cup. It was a memorable weekend for the Trojans who had a day earlier beaten Kano Titans to win the Oba of Lagos Cup.
Lagos Polo Club President Hon Habeeb Fasinro captained Edozie Onwuli, Bowale Jolaosho and Elias Kodahy to beat Team A (TJ Saro, Hassan Fayaad Yemo Alakija and Ed Higginbotham) 5-3 to win the Veterans and Kids Cup.
Lagos teams dominated the 2012 Edition of the tournament but Ibah’s impressive win over Ericsson in the Dansa Cup serves as a boost for Ibadan teams as Ibadan challenge and Ibadan Mapo made battle cries for the Low Cup.
Onwuli was full of optimism ahead of Ibadan Challenge’s outing declaring: “We are eager to put up a better performance next week; everything is open going by the way Kano Ibah won the Dansa Cup,” However, it was not to be as they crashed out of the competition early losing to RTC.
After a two-day break, hostilities resumed for the final phase and the pointer of the surprises that was to happen was flashed when 2011 winners of the Majekodunmi Cup, Fifth Chukka were upstaged by Lintex Anadariya who were making a return after years in the doldrums.
With the Kaduna-based Fifth Chukker ranked as the best Hadicapped team +18, few had given Anadariya which featured the Dantata siblings Usman and Bashir, the chance of winning the encounter but after a bumper-to-bumper action, they scored a decisive goal in the last few seconds of the sixth chukka to record the biggest upset in this year’s tournament.
The day’s other matches saw Kano H-Hago bagged a 4-2 ½ win over Kano Susplan Kano while RTC brushed aside Ibadan Jericho 8- 3½ in the Low Cup which also featured Caverton, H-Hago and Bell Oil & Gas.
Another upset was recorded in the Majekodunmi Cup when defending champions Linetrale Delaney were beaten by Ironclad Shorelines in a match that has Kola Karim scoring what proved the winner. However, despite their perfect record to the final, Shorelines were outplayed by Kano Ashbert Titans to claim the biggest polo prize in the country. More success went the way of Kano as RTC beat Lagos Caverton in the Low Cup final. HST won the Governor’s Cup at the expense of Bell Oil & Gas while Linetrale Delaney salvaged their pride by beating Anadariya to win the Independence Cup, which is the oldest polo trophy in the country.
The high level of performance was a huge delight to the sponsors who are proud to have committed their resources to the championship.
According to MTN one of the major sponsors of the tournament, “The performance of the teams so far has been of a very high standard and as major sponsor of the tournament we are proud of the teams,” says Dolapo Bamgboye, its Event & Sponsorship Manager.
With the rising profile of the competition, Guarantee Trust Bank came in as another major sponsor and the financial institution said through Oyinade Adegbite, its Communication and External Affairs Manager that they got full value for their money, noting that the tournament ranks as top in the activities of the Nigeria Polo Association.
“GTBank has decided to come into the sponsorship of this prestigious tournament which we believe will enhance the development of the game in Nigeria,” she stated.
If Linetale Delaney’s Marcelo Pasqual will be remembered as the star man of the tournament in 2012, there is no controversy in having Shoreline’s Toto Gerardo Collardin as this year’s man of the tournament.
Like Pasqual, Toto almost singlehandedly guided his team to lift the Majekodunmi Cup, regarded as the biggest polo prize in Nigeria.
He was surrounded by polo enthusiasts immediately the match came to an end.
Being a first-timer at the tournament, the +7 handicap player won the hearts of the crowd some of whom chorused his name seconds to the end of the game.
“I’m very happy, he said. “This is a very big competition and with so much passion like this, Polo will soon become a very popular sport in Nigeria,” he predicted.
Tournament Coordinator Tade Oyinlola was also full of praise for the players and spectators stating that the tradition of hosting a flawless championship has been maintained by the Lagos Polo Club.
“Some of the players are exposed to high-level of polo at global level and they have been commending the standard of organisation of the tournament which makes all of us at the Lagos Polo Club feel proud.”
Lagos Polo President Fasinro said this year’s edition is unique as it has the biggest collection of stars which resulted in the high standard that was displayed throughout the event. “One thing I can always guarantee polo fans is that the Lagos Polo Club will continue to raise the bar regarding the standard of this competition. It has been nearly two weeks of top-class and unforgettable polo experience,” he stated.
VINCENT EBOIGBE
