Bauchi Polo’2012: Linkage Petroleum Celebrates Gov’s Cup Victory

The prestigious Bauchi ‘2012 Polo Tournament that spread unparalleled excitements cross the country came to a blistering climaxed a fortnight ago, with overall champions, Bauchi Linkage Petroleum and Kaduna teams carting home the biggest honours.

It was an intensive eight days of top class polo as over twenty five top ranking teams converged in the ancient Hausa kingdom to vie for honours in one of the most prestigious polo extravaganzas in the country.

Earlier billed for the last weekend of June but pushed to the first week of July, the Bauchi polo fiesta truly lived up to its traditional cutting edge competitive billings as teams from Kaduna, Abuja and host Bauchi came out in flying colours.

Event’s biggest prize, the Governor’s Cup that annually threw up new winners, was in its full bloom as Alhaji Abubakar’s powered Bauchi Linkage Petroleum Resources made good their pre-tournament rating, beating determined opposition from Kaduna and Abuja, to clinch their second major title at home in four years.

In an explosive final watched by thousands of enthusiastic polo fans across the country, Kari’s Linkage Petroleum complete an impressive Bauchi’2012 run, beating Senator Hadi Sirika’s Rubicon, to the glittering Governor’s Cup and added the Unity Bank Cup to emerge overall champions.

To win the high profile Bauchi’32012 Polo fiesta, Abubakar Kari warriors parading Musa Kari, Usman Idris, Danladi Shuaibu and their Argentine professional, Gonzalo Mario Bourdieu who was playing his first Bauchi tournament, edged out the determined Rubicon 8-7 with Gonzalo scoring the winner in the last minute of the grudge final.

On their way to victory, Linkage Petroleum defeated arch rivals, Kaduna Keffi Ponys in their opening game, before their titanic clash with the Rubicon quartet of Senator Hadi Sirika, Malik Badamasi, Bello Buba and Mamuda Shehu to cart home the glittering Governor’s Cup.

The elated Buachi Linkage Petroleum patron and the pioneer of Bauchi polo renaissance, Abubakar Kari who watched the tense encounter from the edge of his seat, thanks their teeming fans for their overwhelming support and dedicates the victory to the Emir of Bauchi, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu.

Musa Kari who was part of the Bauchi side that narrowly lost the Access Bank Cup in Kaduna last year, thank his teammates, particularly Gonzalo for their commitment and determination throughout the campaign and promptly  dedicated the  Governor’s Cup title to his newly wedded wife..

“We watched them (Rubicon) against Keffi Ponies and knew exactly how to neutralize their attack. Everyone played their role and our concentration paid off at the end despite their massive horse power and late rally which saw them drew level in the last chukka,” Kari explained.

The Linkage Petroleum skipper was also part of the Bauchi side that won the Governor’s Cup in Port Harcourt earlier in the year, beliefs that if his teammates maintain their cohesion, they could be  a major force in Nigerian polo particularly in the high- medium-goal category where Rubicon, Keffi Pony, Katsina Max Air, are jostling for supremacy.

Keffi Ponys parading  Hamisu Buba, Ibrahim Mohammed, Rabiu Mohammed and their patron, Honourable Aliyu Wadada, who threw away glaring chances in their opening game against the eventual champions, failed to rise to expectation and were pushed to a third place finish.

Revered as the most contested Bauchi polo extravaganza in years, the international fiesta also saw Kaduna Safaz Shelters winning the coveted Emir of Bauchi Cup, to add to their growing popularity, having won major titles in Katsina, Yola, Kaduna, and Zaria since they debut on the national scene three years ago.

Led by their patron, Shuaibu Zakari, the Kaduna based side that boosted the likes of Lado Aliyu, the dazzling Hamisu Buba and Nigeria’s number one, Bello Buba defeated Katsina IT Sec and Yola Yelwa to made history for themselves, winning the royal prize on first attempt.

IT Sec side boosting their leader, Suleiman Shema, Danjuma Abdullahi, Tijani Hassan and Mamuda Shehu that hit Bauchi in high hopes, got to an impressive start against Yola Yelwa, but had their tidings mixed up when it matters most against Safaz Shelters in the final. They could only manage the Emir’s Cup runners –up prize.

CSP Aliyu Abubakar led Nigerian Polo team who has spreading jitters at every tournament they played, were outpaced in the race for the coveted Tafewa Balewa Cup that attracted five teams from Kaduna, Zaria and host Bauchi.

The jostling for the Tafewa Balewa Cup was a bumper-to-bumper affair to the final when Baba Kyari playing alongside his son Abati Kyari, Abdul Lawal and Ibrahim Babangida in Kaduna Kawo colours, edged out Bauchi Nadaba 41/2-4 to clinch the title played in honour of the first Nigerian Prime Minister.

Port Harcourt club that came back winning ways two years ago, when Tanko Ayuba led his Port Harcourt Ayutan earned a runner-up finish in the crowded Seriki Fulani Cup in 2012, hit Bauchi with two teams, Port Harcourt Desicon and Riverdrill, hoping for an encore.

Their high hopes was however cut short this year, as they find the goings on in the crowded Seriki Fulani Cup that attracted a record 14 teams, race too hot for comfort. At the end of fierce eight days battle, it was Kaduna Dokaji that finished tops beating the ambitious Minna Mutawalli 6-1in the final, to a third title to Kaduna Polo Club total haul.

Tanko Ayuba who led the Niger Delta contingent to the Bauchi showdown and Suleiman Shema from Katsina secured personal honours leading selected teams to win coveted titles. Ayuba skippered the winning side that won the highly revered Emir of Ningi Cup, while Shema powered the MTN Cup champions.

An elated Ayuba who is an executive member of Port Harcourt Polo Club however urged his Port Harcourt players to remain focus, determine and courageous, adding that the Bauchi experience would spur them in their future outings.

Alhaji Kari, who was the Tournament Chairman, thanks everyone for making the Bauchi Polo’2012 such a huge success. He was particularly grateful to the Bauchi State Government under the able leadership of the Executive Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, the numerous sponsors, the royal fathers, the players and numerous polo enthusiasts for their supports.

Long established as one of the premier sporting attractions in the country and beyond, polo has been played here in the ancient kingdom of Bauchi for decades now, and the popularity of the grand fiesta is far from weaning as tourists, polo enthusiasts from far and wide witnessed the fiesta in their droves this year.