- Huge expectations as Lagos Int’l Polo hits 120th milestone
Campaigns for honours in the event’s top prizes, the Open Cup would gallop off the 120th edition of the 2024 Lagos International Polo Tournament which begins with fanfare at the foremost Ribadu Road Polo Ground in Ikoyi Lagos from January 23.
President of Lagos Polo Club, Bode Makanjuola who disclosed this , said the prestigious Lagos polo extravaganza that has over the century remains a captivating fusion of elegance, excitement and cultural vibrancy transcending traditional boundaries to unite the royal sport of polo with the dynamic energy of Lagos.
Speaking ahead of the press conference heralding the event , Makanjuola confirmed that for the first time in over a century and still counting rich history, the prestigious Lagos polo festival will have over four weeks of high octane polo showpiece, making the event the biggest polo tournament in Africa.
The noble game of polo was introduced in Nigeria way back in 1904 and since then the premier Lagos tournament has remained a significant ribbon polo not only in Nigeria but in the whole African continent, attracting royalties, top government officials and business tycoons and societal elite in their drove annually.
We also gathered that over thirty teams fortified with awesome horsepower and top players across the world and have been confirmed to vie for top honours in the month-long for the prestigious polo fiesta that pride itself as the first polo tournament in the country dating back to the early 1900s.
Lagos Polo Captain, Muyiwa Oni who gave details of the matches, stated that apart from the Open Cup, participating teams will be jostling for the event’s biggest prize, the Majekodunmi Cup, the Lagos Cup, the Silver Cup and a handful of subsidiary prizes respectively.
He listed the subsidiary prizes to include the Oba of Lagos, Governor’s Cup, Adedapo Ojora Memorial Cup, Sani Dangote Cup, the Italian Ambassador’s Cup and the Independence Cup, Lagos Heritage Cup, Chief of Naval Cup, and the Independence Cup, among others.
Read Also: Team Bunnies are champions of Lagos Easter Polo Tourney
Oni pointed out that the matches for the Open Cup will thrill from January 23 to January 28, 2024, while the Majekodunmi Cup will take center stage in the second week from January 30 to February 4, 2024.The third week will see teams from vying for the Low Cup February 6-11, 2024.
It was equally gathered that the grand finale fourth and final week that would draw the curtain on the annual fiesta that is steeped in tradition and elegance, will see a crowd of equally matched low-goal team slugging it out for the Silver Cup from February 13-18, 2024 in what promises to be a fitting cap to Africa’s richest polo extravaganza.
Tournament Manager, Olumayowa Ogunnusi who commended the main sponsor GTCO and other sponsors, stated that having gained reputation as one of the biggest polo tournaments in Africa, the Lagos Polo Club was looking forward to delivering great values for the sponsors and participants during the epoch fiesta.
With the standard of play reaching new heights, the 2023 edition of the Lagos polo festival lived up to the tournament’s billing as a truly global festival, with Bowale Jolaoso’s Leighton Kings and Funsho George’s’ GDF Global spearheading Lagos teams to an historic clean sweep of all the major titles.