Rubicon, Air Peace, Daewoo Dominate P/H’2016 Polo Festival

The galleries at the foremost Port Harcourt Polo Club were jam-packed with royalties led by the Emir of Katsina, HRH Dr. Abdulmumuni Kabir, business tycoons and dignitaries who turned up in their numbers to witness the annual Niger Delta polo tournament which climaxed with fanfare last weekend.

The prestigious polo carnival that pitch top polo stars left in its glowing trail many memorable highpoints that would linger for a long time. One such glittering highlight was historic participation of the Emir of Katsina and Life Chairman of the Nigerian polo, who spend three days at the festival.

The royal father who was warmly received by royal fathers from the Niger Delta and the entire Nigerian polo family was on hand to present the T Y Danjuma and the Roland Cookey-Gam Cups prizes to the winners and runners-up, before returning to his ancient Katsina Kingdom.

After eight days of tense league games and close Semi Finals and final games, the Niger Delta Polo top finishers as Guards Brigade Rubicon from Abuja was one of the top performers, lifting the event’s biggest prize, General Hassan Katsina Cup beating Kaduna Kakuri and Port Harcourt Air Peace to the runners-up finish.

 Rubicon patron and Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika was adjudged the Most Valuable Player MVP of the high profile tournament, thanks to his scoring prowess in the General Hassan Cup final.

President of Port Harcourt Polo Club, Ibiwari Pepple and Polo Captain, Michael Ogolo both hailed the polo carnival as one of the most successful in years. They thank the Emir of Katsina for honouring their invitation and all the sponsors both traditional and new ones like and individuals for their support.

They pointed out that it would have been extremely difficult to host the festival without their solid backing of Port Harcourt polo club members, Trustees, friends of the foremost club and the general public.

“In lending these critical supports to the Niger Delta Polo Tournament in Port Harcourt, our sponsors, players and others are pushing for a new height in the promotion of polo and tourism in the region and the country as large, “ Ogolo who won the Most Improved Player of the Tournament award padded.

Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF) President, Francis Ogboro who congratulated the winners and all participating players, Urge sponsors to continue to support endeavours that aim to promote a positive lifestyles of the millions of Nigerian youths across the country.

“I want to thank the partners, all the players and polo buffs for their for their invaluable supports and sportsmanship and for making Port Harcourt’2016 international polo tournament one of the biggest and the most exciting polo festivals in the country and indeed Africa,” Ogboro added.

Other glittering prizes that were carted home by the various winners at the PH Polo’2016 glamorous polo fiesta include the T Y Danjuma’s Cup won by Katsina Danmarina and Roland Cookey-Gam Cup won by Eddie Honah led side.

 Victor Fingesi powered Port Harcourt Daewoo gave the home crowd plenty to celebrate for with the President Cup win, just as Bauchi Dokaji smiled home with the Governor’s Cup.

Port Harcourt Air Peace team finished tops in the race for the Peace Cup; Ikenna Nebolisa team won the Niger Delta Peace Cup, just as Studio 24 selected side were winners in the Heritage Bank Cup finals.

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 memorable legacies that would continue to captivate polo buffs across the world for a long time.

As a Grade A NPF event, the biggest attraction of the Niger Delta Festival lies in its regional appeal, which for years has been the pride of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers and host Rivers states.

The fact that polo enthusiasts from Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and neighbouring Imo and Abia states attend this festival annually in their thousands; attest to the immense tourism and social values of the exciting game of polo in the Niger Delta.