EL-Amin Polo Powers to 11th Georgian Cup Title

The prestigious Kaduna international polo tournament came to a flourishing climax recently, with defending champions, EL-Amin defeating three tough oppositions to win their 11th Georgian Cup title.

The high profile tournament that attracted a record forty five teams, lived up to its highly revered tradition of cutting edge competition, high-scoring matches, fantastic goals and an outpouring of emotions.

A genuine competitiveness throughout with drama and excitement in equal measures, the Kaduna 2014 was a polo grand slam that refused to become predictable, even if the final standings suggested otherwise.

With the great and a surging crowd watching on at a packed legendary Murtala Mohammed Polo Ground, Nigeria’s polo kings, EL-Amin successfully defended the Georgian Cup title they won for the tenth times last year, defeating former winners, Abuja Rubicon on a balmy November evening in Nigeria.

 In doing so, they became only Nigerian high-goal polo organization in the over a century history of the noble game in the country, to win the one of the biggest and the most revered polo cup in Africa, a record eleven times.

To the delight of a 10,000-strong capacity crowd that included the eight first class emirs, hosts governor, Ramalan Yero, members of National Assembly, diplomats and the thousands of polo buffs, EL-Amin, overcame a 1-4 trailing to dominate their Rubicon opponents and win 11-6, after doling out three handicap goals to the Abuja side, to clinch their eleventh Georgian title

The quartet of Belo Buba, Ibrahim Mohammed, Mohammad Babangida and Patricio Cieza had earlier seen off Katsina Kangiwa14-9 and hard fighting local rivals, Kaduna Trappco 7-5 in a quintessential campaign to extend their unbeaten run in the Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF) high-goal circuit to eight solid years.

The opening match of the Georgian Cup between EL-Amin and Kangiwa set the tone for the rest of the tournament that attracted a record 45 teams from all the major polo clubs across the region.

Kangiwa, containing a sprinkling of big names including their Argentine professional, Fernando Bourdieu, were many neutrals' favourites to challenge, but the title holders who have mastered the tricks of the Georgian Cup high stakes, came from 1-5 down to triumph 14-9 and get their campaign off to a winning start.

The final match was a thrilling encounter between host Kaduna and Abuja. Victory was definitely within the Rubicon’s grasp after they had taken the title in 2012, but EL-Amin produced an inspired performance to mark their 19th anniversary full of pride and guts, with a thumping a victory.

The lead did not change hands until the third chukka of the explosive clash, but EL-Amin, who tackled like men possessed, erupted from three goals down to snatched a deserving victory with their trademark display to the delight of the surging crowd.

That statement and record achievement, though, doesn’t tell the whole story of Nigeria’s polo kings, masters of the Georgian Cup and the most consistent high-goal polo in Africa, which have played together for 20 years come 2015.

A peep into their loaded titles shelf leaves millions of polo buffs across the world in awe, as they stand out as the only Nigerian team in the 300 years old history of Georgian Cup, to have won the silver ware eleven times.

Minna Polo’2014: EL-Amin Glows with 14th IBB Cup Title

Fact is, Minna polo festival has over the years been thrills fill, exciting and memorable and the 2014 edition was no exception. Surprises were a plenty, but not enough to scratch the kings of Minna polo, EL-Amin who took their invincibility to a new height with their 14th IBB back-to-back victory.

After five days of bumper-to bumper campaign pitting over 20 teams across the country, the prestigious Minna annual polo extravaganza climaxed with three new winners in the medium and low-goals cadres, while Mohammed Babangida’s EL-Amin  sets up the longest cup win ever by any team in Nigeria’s 110 years history.

As in all high stake polo competitions, the fight was always going to be a nerve wrecking battles, but the teeming Minna polo buffs were never in doubt as to the destination of their coveted IBB Cup, that pitted perpetual champions, EL-Amin and the ambitious Kaduna Kakuri team.

They were not disappointed as their heroes; EL-Amin defeated the hard fighting Kakuri 9-41/2 to retain the IBB Cup title in sublime campaign that bore the hallmark of their attacking flare that has earned them many top polo laurels within and outside the country.

Parading their hit squad complete with Aminu Alhaji, Bello Buba, Ibrahim Mohammed and their patron, Mohammed Babangida, the invincible EL-Amin out paced the quartet of Ibrahim Abba, Ibrahim Babangida, Ali Hassan and Hamisu Buba in Kakuri colours to keep their treasured cup in a show of supremacy that dates back to more than decade.

Abraka Polo’2014: Raiders, Ashton Wells Earn Top Honours

Rarely do things that tout themselves as the 'world's best' live up to the hype, but for over a decade, Abraka International Polo Tournament has been there to break the mold and this year was no exception.

Another successful Abraka polo ended with pomp over the weekend, with Ashbert and Ashton Wells crowned champions in the respective prizes.

Once again the annual polo fiesta lived up to it’s highly revered billing and left in its trail legacies of how the highlights-makers captured the three days of tempestuous excitement on and off the pitch.

From the very first match to the last at the foremost Abraka Turf Ground, drama filled the air. The teams found some size, steel and x-factor to add to their speedy efficiency and the crowd was there to cheer every moment of the tournament.

5th CHukker/Ironclad, Goodfellows Spur Lagos Dominance

The MTN/Lagos International Polo Tournament represents the pinnacle of the noble sport in Nigeria. Only the finest players get the chance to strut their stuff in such a rarefied atmosphere, where their every move could be the difference between defeat and victory.

Highly revered as the stage for greatness and what great moment is was, for Fifth Chukker/Ironclad who out class all comers to win the MTN/Lagos’2014 International Polo Tournament in a convincing fashion.

Powered by polo supremo, Adamu Atta and the emerging golden Boy of Lagos polo, Obafemi Otudeko, Fifth Chukker/Ironclad produced a stunning performance to upset crowd favourites, Auden/ Delany 15-12 and claim the coveted Majekodunmi Cup title.

Their Argentine playmakers Ezekiel Martinez and put in sparkling performances for the champions, combining brilliantly with Atta and Otudeko to inspire the team to victory.

Beamed around the world via international broadcasters, the 2014 edition of the MTN/Lagos polo festival lived up to the tournament's billing as a truly global festival of the game of kings that enriches lives in so many ways.

With the level of play reaching new heights, there were upsets aplenty and biggest upset of the MTN/Lagos’2014 undoubtedly came from the eventual champions, who flew past title holders, Auden/Delany, Kano Titans, and debutants, Keffi Ponies in one lightening swoop of top class polo.

Susplan, Briclinks Glitter @ Ibadan’2014 Polo

The sprawling city of Ibadan in the ancient Oyo kingdom, celebrated one of its grandest moments, hosting the prestigious MTN/Ibadan’2014 Polo Tournament, which came to colourful climax last weekend.

Expectedly, Ibadan’2014 rumble that further highlighted the Home Based Super Eagles performance at the GHAN’2014, pitched teams from three major polo clubs across the country and after an exciting week of intensive campaign, the titles were lopsidedly shared between Kano and host Ibadan.

Lagos that puts up a scanty participation were left without any title to show for their effort, while Kano who arrived the Ibadan capital city with a record seven teams, continue their Ibadan domination, smiling home with two out of the three major titles at stake.

The Bompai based polo kings who have dictated the MTN sponsored festival for four years now, produced the winners in the event’s biggest prize, the Ibadan Cup, the second most wanted Ibadan polo title, Rotimi Cup and finished Runners-up in the Ade Alakija Cup respectively.

Former champions, Kano Titans who were tipped to reclaim the Ibadan Cup title they lost to a resurgent Ibadan Dream Team last year, did not disappoint as they triumph over the ambitious Lagos Shoreline in a marathon final that was decided over two days of intense battle.

The Tajudeen Dantata powered Kano Titans playing in their handy local ponies, fought the battle of their lives as they out paced Tunde Karim’s Lagos Shoreline to clinch the event’s biggest prize, the Ibadan Cup presented in the early 1930s by Colonel R. Petit of the 9th Lancer of the then British colonial masters.

Titans parading Tajudeen Dantata, Halifa Ibrahim, Jamilu Umar and Ibrahim Abdu, Titan defeated the re-enforced Lagos Shoreline boosting Tunde Karim, Abdulraman Mohammed, Lance Watson and Ahmadu Umar, 9-8 in an historic Ibadan Cup final that took two Sudden Death chukkas to separate the winners.

Niger Delta’2014 Unity Polo: Abuja, PH, Katsina Show Class

The Niger Delta Polo Tournament that holds annually in Port Harcourt plays a major role in the sport’s calendar of the ancient city and the 2014 edition did not only lived up to highly revered tradition, it was truly spectacular.

The grandiose polo festival which offers a whole week of passionate and fast paced display of skills and horsemanship showcased by the ambitious, high, medium and low-goal teams left in its roaring trail many memorable legacies that would continue to captivate polo buffs across the world for a long time.

 As the biggest sporting festival in the oil rich Niger Deltas region of the country, the Unity polo fiesta lived up to its cutting edge competition, thrills and excitements, with Abuja, Katsina and host Port Harcourt carting home top honours.