Basking in the euphoria of successful end of the season tourney in Bauchi, polo players cannot wait to showcase their skills in two billboard tournaments slated for August and September to be held in two ancient kingdoms in the north western part of the country.
Checks revealed that kingdoms of Katsina and Kabi in Kebbi State are wearing new looks as their respective tournament dates draw near.
We can further confirm that the vibrancies around the polo fraternity in the kingdoms took to a higher pedestal after the all-powerful Grounds and Facilities Inspection Committee checked the respective venues, and gave the two tournaments a clean bill of health.
A statement from the Katsina Polo Club indicated that the 2022 Katsina international tournaments will gallop off in the last weekend of August, and climax in the first week of September. Just as the prestigious NSK Polo tournament & Cultural fete is billed to thrill from September 8 -10, 2022 in the ancient city of Argungu.
As the first polo event of the season on the polo new season , the foremost Katsina revered as the home of Nigerian polo, is backed by the Katsina State Government, and a consortium of blue chip corporate organizations and high profile individuals, the 2022 edition promises to the biggest and the most exciting in years.
Katsina Polo Captain, Ibrahim Sarki exclusively disclosed that host teams are perfecting strategies to vie for all the major titles at stake during the polo extravaganza, assuring that all participating teams, polo enthusiasts and tourists would have a most memorable time in the ‘Home of Nigerian Polo’.
Prizes like the Nigerian Cup which is the event’s biggest cup on offer and one of the oldest polo titles in Africa, will be keenly contested for by the participating teams and General Hassan Katsina Cup played in memory for the late Life Chairman of Nigerian polo.
Other major laurels on offer during the weeklong fiesta include the President’s Cup, Nagogo Memorial Cup, Dikko Memorial Talba Cup, Coomassie Cup and the Governor’s Cup, among other individual honours.
From the ‘Home of polo in Nigeria’, competitors would make a short trip to the ancient kingdom of Kabi in the far north western part of Nigeria, for the third edition of the prestigious NSK polo tournament that is billed to gallop off with fanfare early September.
NSK Polo Farm proprietor, Nura Kangiwa, the Turaki Kebbi confirmed to the Nationsports Special would be special in many ways, with most of the established polo patrons and top players leading the pack.
Kangiwa who is the boss of Nigerian tourism, also disclosed that apart from the game of kings, the annual fiesta would feature an international wrestling match between Nigeria and Niger Republic, Camel racing, Horse racing contests, and a handful of traditional cultural displays.
Four major titles would be contested for this year, with the Governor Cup leading the pack as the biggest prize. Others include the Sultan Cup, Emir of Kebbi Cup and Col. A D Umar Cup, amongst other individual prizes.
Checks also revealed that with the season opener in Katsina climaxing five days before, the Argungu field would be further crowded with late entrance seeking to take advantage of the short trip to neighbouring Kebbi for the only polo cum Cultural festival in the country.