Another international epoch is in the making as plans by the foremost Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Club, Access Bank and partners are in advance stages to extend the frontiers of the prestigious UNICEF Charity Shield tournament to other parts of Africa and the United States of America (USA).
Nationsport on Friday exclusively gathered that South Africa would be the first port of call in the expansion programme that is already generating interests within polo families and charitable organizations and individuals across the globe.
A top consultant of the grand slam humanitarian polo tournament, who disclosed this, stated that the decision to expand the annual event to South Africa and other part of the continent and ultimately USA followed the huge successes achieved of the years.
“We in Fifth Chukker and the partners are particularly thrill with the strings of successes and the penetration of the Charity Shield over the years in the London Polo Day that anchors the European leg,” the official pointed out
The Charity Shield began in 2003 as a platform to support local charity organizations in Kaduna. Since 2006 this humanitarian effort has been geared exclusively towards UNICEF intervention projects for orphans and vulnerable children in Kaduna State.
The charity polo platform has continued to support the UNICEF child education in Northern Nigeria by raising funds to provide educational facilities and healthcare services to disadvantaged children
Further checks revealed that apart from partnering UNICEF, the Charity Shield platform has over the years been supporting UNICEF and empowering people in Maraban Jos community and its environs in Kaduna in a pivotal commitment that has continually been lauded by the public.
Income generated from gate takings and donations is also channel to UNICEF in support to meeting the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in their care, including providing healthcare and education supplies.
As you are reading this, all is set for yet polo extravaganza as AA Polo and Sublime square-up in the opening game of the 2021 UNICEF Charity Shield tournament that would be decided over two weekends of exciting polo lining up all the big names in Nigerian polo and their foreign counterparts from Argentina, Europe and South Africa.
Nationsport on Friday can authoritatively report that the first stage lines up six teams, Niyya Farms, Susplan, Sublime (2), Badako ZAZ, Intershelter and AA Polo are eyeing the glittering UNICEF Cup, while two equally matched rivals Malcomines and Fifth Chukker locks horns in the Access Bank Cup rumble.
The second and the concluding weekend look even more exciting as another six ambitious teams, Sublime 60 Yards, Lagos STL, Rubicon (2), Haske & Williams, and two Port Harcourt based warriors Stratabased and Wilten Aviation, troop out for the coveted Usman Dantata Cup.
The event’s biggest prize, The Charity Shield will this year pits three regulars, Malcomines, Leighton Kings and Barbedos Group in a royal rumble that would decide the over champions of 2021 edition of the biggest charity polo fiesta in the continent.
Since its inauguration, Access Bank and Fifth Chukker Polo & Country Resort in Kaduna have raised over One Hundred Million(N100,000,000) for UNICEF in support of its projects in aid of the education and wellbeing of vulnerable Children in Kaduna.
Until now, the event has since inception been named after the immediate past Emir of Katsina, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Usman who had remained the pillar of the Nigerian polo for nearly a century.