The forthcoming Kano International Polo Tournament has sparked off a frenzy amongst the game’s aficionados ahead of what promises to be a spectacular festival between the last week of September and opening week of October.
Chairman Kano Polo Club, Alhaji Bashir Dantata, has promised an unprecedented added value for the players, the sponsors and polo buffs during the forthcoming Kano extravaganza.
He praised the sponsors and partners for promoting polo in Kano over the years, noting that the relationship between Kano polo and sponsors over the years has had a positive impact in the development of the noble game in Kano and the society at large.
“The level of team interest is inspiring and we look forward to watching the competition unfold in what promises to be the most exciting high-goal tournament in years,” he stated.
Tournament Manager, Bashir Dantata (Jnr.) has also pledged to deliver a compact tournament that would be the pride of every polo player, adding that the event would serve as the template that would take the King of Games in Kano to the next level.
The event is being organized by a Management Committee that includes the immediate past Captain and Patron of Kano Titans polo team, Tajudeen Dantata who was elected as the new Vice Chairman of the club.
Others are Yusuf Danmasani (Vice-Captain); Dr. Kabir Isiaku who was elected the Secretary, Sani Bala was elected as Treasurer, Habib Buhari (Grounds Member) and Nasiru Buba who is the PRO and Publicity member in the committee.
Kano Polo Captain Abba Dantata confirmed over twenty teams from major polo clubs across the country have already indicated interests for the glamorous polo fiesta that will be held at the Usman Dantata Polo Ground in Bompai, Kano.
According to Dantata, the glamorous event would be decided over two weekends of bumper-to- bumper top action games.
The first stage will pitch medium and low goal teams in fierce polo confrontations to decide the winners of the coveted Dantata Cup and the glittering MRS Cup that has brought in so much vibes to the low-goal competition lately.
The second weekend that would ultimately draw the curtain on the polo extravaganza will feature highly ambitious intermediate and high goals teams in the race for the event’s biggest prize, the Emir of Kano and the prestigious Dangote cups.
Major prizes to be won during the polo carnival include the Emir of Kano Cup, Dantata Cup, Dangote Cup and the MRS Cup. Other prizes include the ever-vibrant, the Chief of Naval Staff Cup, the Governor’s Cup and the Muhammadu Sanusi Cup, whose match normally marks the end of the Kano polo fiesta.
It was gathered that visiting polo teams and clubs like Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna, Katsina, Port Harcourt, Jos, Yola and Abuja are throwing as many teams each for the first stage of the international fiesta.
High-goal squads from Lagos, Kaduna and host Kano are reserving their most potent horse powers for the make or mar second stage where professionals from Europe, South Africa and Argentina are listed