With the national polls and religious festivities out of the way, the national polo season is set to resume as preparations nearing conclusion for the box office international polo extravaganzas in Ibadan.
On the polo tour, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State will take the first slot as polo clubs across the country are buzzing and perfecting strategies ahead of their trip for the Ibadan Polo Festival.
The glamorous Nigerian new polo season galloped off with fanfare in Port Harcourt before hitting Lagos with a bang, will round off its southern tour in the ancient city before moving up north for the second and concluding part of the 2023 annual polo rendezvous.
President of Ibadan Polo Club, Koyinsola Owoeye , stated that the polo fiesta revered for its exciting atmosphere and relaxed setting, is scheduled to gallop off in May 15th and thrills till May 21st.
Owoeye also disclosed that arrangements have been perfected to ensure that a grand event remains an epoch that will linger for long in the memories of all participants, invited guests and enthusiasts of the king of games.
“All the organizing committee are on ground and working around the cloak to deliver on all fronts foe that required values to our esteemed traditional sponsors, partners, patrons, participating teams and thousands of enthusiasts who have over the decades made the Ibadan tournament a festival of choice,” Owoeye assured.
According to the Ibadan polo boss, about twenty teams coming from Kano, Jos, Kaduna, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and neighbouring Lagos have confirmed participation as the best players and patrons in the country set their sights on Ibadan next week.
Owoeye, who led Ibadan quest for two of the biggest prizes at the recently concluded Lagos international tourney, said other major prizes at stake would include the Ibadan Cup presented in the early 1930s by Colonel R. Petit of the 9th Lancer of the then British colonial masters.
Others are the Rotimi Cup, Ade Alakija Cup played in memory of the former Ibadan Polo Captain, and The GOC Cup as well as a handful selected prizes and awards.
It was also gathered that these subsidiary prizes to be carted home by the winners include the Professor Jide Owoeye Cup, HST Cup and Shoreline Cup, among others.
Ibadan Polo Vice President and Captain, Bola Adeyemi , also hinted that the host club would field teams in all the major prizes at stake, adding that Ibadan-based players are all fired up for victories after their impressive campaigns in Lagos last month.
“The Ibadan polo tournament has over the years set a unique example as one of the most exciting polo events in the country and we have put together a package that would make the tournament the most exciting ever,” Adeyemi declared.
“We would have teams featuring players as young as 15 years in this edition, as a result of the club’s many efforts to increase the awareness for the game among younger people and it’s going to be a full house, as teams from major polo centres across the country and abroad have indicated their participation,” he added.