The highly-anticipated 2022 Kaduna Mini Polo festival that attracted top dignitaries and polo buffs to the Murtala Square climaxed with fanfare with two home-based teams and visiting Abuja team clinching all the top prizes.
Trappco Ranch team defeated city rivals Kaduna Profile team in a tense final decided before a full house to clinch the event’s top prize, the Shinkafi Cup, played in memory of the former President of the Nigerian Polo Association (NPA), Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi.
The event which was hosted in place of the international version of the fiesta due to the ongoing renovation works on the Ahmadu Yakubu Polo Ground, saw the Col. Y. Bello-powered team from Abuja in a historic victory in two of the major prizes at stake.
The Abuja YBL side defeated four rivals in a fierce campaign to win the medium-goal prize, the Musaco Cup, while Kaduna crowd favourites, Profile team (2) won the runners-up prize, no thanks to their slow start in the opening game of the round-robin format tussle.
Col Y. Bello who was named the Most Valuable player of the tournament in the race for the medium-goal cup, was undoubtedly the biggest winner of the prestigious tourney as he led his low-goal side, Abuja YBL warriors to earn the Ama Pharma Cup, giving the visitors plenty to celebrate about.
“We are happy with our performance and our achievement during the event. We look forward to more victories at other tournaments,” stated the YBL Patron and MVP award winner, Col. Y. Bello stated in chat shortly after receiving his MVP award.
Meanwhile, the biggest highlight of the fiesta that thrilled for five days was undoubtedly the innovative Fun Fair Concept that was buzzing with polo buffs spoiling for choices with plenty of foods, juice, pastry, handmade fashions, perfumes, and lots of takeaways on offer throughout the fiesta.
Kaduna Polo Vice Presidents, Mohammad Babangida and General Kapeh Kazir who took charge of the event, both hailed the successes of the mini-event sponsored majorly by FIRS, many blue-chip business organizations, and the Shinkafi family.
“Kaduna Polo Club is going higher; the turnout exceeded our expectations and we are quite pleased with the support of our sponsors and partners for the huge success recorded at this event.” Babangida declared in his closing remarks.
The Second Vice President, Kazir who midwife the Funfair Concept that was introduced for the first time in the over a century-old history of the noble game in Kaduna, proudly declared that the concept has come to stay as one of the biggest features of the international polo fiesta.
“As we strive to continually make the game a family affair we intend to hold as many as four mini tourneys like this one, to keep the family together and perpetuate the noble game of kings as the biggest driver of sports and tourism to the state and its environs” Kazir added.
He thanked all the sponsors, partners, and dignitaries for making the event a huge success and congratulated all the winners and runners-up for their sportsmanship and discipline throughout the fiesta.