Katsina Max Air, Kano Susplan, Titan/ Aldin teams all produced polo master class performances to finish tops at the recently concluded Katsina International Polo Tournament that galloped off what promises to be an exciting 2021/ 2022 polo season.
Katsina Max Air team that has been off the national tour for four years, returns to winning ways in a blistering campaign, clinching the event’s biggest prize, the Nigerian Cup and added the highly
Muhammadu Dikko Memorial Cup played in evergreen memory of the father of Nigerian polo, to announce their intention as the season pick up steams.
The international fiesta that attracted teams from all the major polo centres across the country, also saw former winners, Susplan, Kano Classo, Haske & Williams from Yola and Titan/Aldin teams emerging
champions in General Hassan Cup, Talba Cup, Coomassie Cup and Governor Cup respectively.
True to its cutting edge competition and unpredictable tradition, the prestigious Katsina international campaigns lived up the billing as returnee Max Air produced the biggest upset, dethroning defending champions, Jos Malcomines, to clinch the biggest stake of the event.
Max Air team loaded with Ibrahim Sarki, Malik Badamasi, Argentine’s Gonzalo Bourdiue and team captain, Dini Mangal defeated Malcomines boasting Haruna Ningi, Hamisu Buba, Belo Buba, and Fernando Munaz 5-3 in the opening game and held on to win after drawing 5-5 in the final game.
“It’s unbelievable. I couldn’t describe the first time we won so I don’t know how to put this one into words,” Max Air Skipper Dini Mangal who has won numerous Katsina top laurels, told The NationSport in a post-match chat. “It’s an amazing feeling. “
Yet Kano contingent that usually produced some of the top winners, maintain their Katsina winning run, as Engineer Umar led Susplan team clinched the event’s second biggest prize, the General Hassan Katsina Cup, just as Kano Classo warriors out classed their Katsina Ayfar Petroleum opponents, to win the Coomassie Cup.
Meanwhile, the long travelling Haske & Williams team that flew the flag of Adamawa Kingdom in the glamorous season opener, returned home in glory with the glittering Talban Cup, after battling through a crowded field of over ten ambitious oppositions to join the rank of major champions of Katsina’2021.
Another sublime achievement saw the former champions, Katsina Aldusar powered by one of Katsina biggest patrons, Muhammadu Sarki and captain by Usman Ahmed, emerging the darlings of polo lovers who throng the legendary Usman Nagogo Ground I their thousands for the festival.
Though Aldusar squad featuring Attahiru Mangal, Tata Ali Kura, Abdulrahaman Mohammed and their sipper, Usman Ahmed, failed narrowly to Kano Titans in the final of Kabir Usman Cup, they were hailed by the crowd for making their day with their all attacking polo.
“We had a little run in the second and third chukkas to try and close up the lead, but Titans were giving us everything to work for the victory, Ahmed said.” With this result, it looks like we’ve got a long road ahead of us, and we’ve got a lot of work to do,” he added in a post-match chat with the NationSport.