All is set for the Eleyele playing-ground of Ibadan Polo Club to play host to top polo players that will vie for honours at the annual International Ibadan Polo Tournament scheduled to ‘gallop-up’ between 31st January and 4th February where nine trophies will be at stake.
The foremost Ibadan polo Club that is an Affiliate of Nigeria Polo Association (NPA) has started to host players from within and outside the country from different top Polo clubs from Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Argentina.
The sporting event is said to have secured sponsorship from Dangote Cement (Major Sponsors), Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Lead City Group, Makon Group, Shoreline, Princeton Health Management and Boff Insurance and others.
Among the polo big names that will compete for prizes are Konyinsola Owoeye with handicap (+1) who doubles as the captain of Ibadan Polo Club, Ahmad Umar who has handicap (+3), Kwame Isa with (+3), Seyi Oyinlola and Jamil Umar with (+2) handicap.
While speaking with newsmen ahead of the tourney in Ibadan, the President of the host club, Dr. Sina Adegunle said all arrangements have been made to make this year’s tournament a grand and memorable one as the polo field, club house, stables are all in good shapes to entertain the players and accommodate horses.
“This year’s tournament will be highly competitive, owing to the high pedigree of the teams that will be competing as most of them have high goal players featuring in the tournament. We have also arranged good entertainers from music and comedy that will entertain the guests daily immediately after the matches while food and drinks will also be available for guests and spectators to buy at reasonable prices’’, Adegunle noted.
The cups that are available to be vied for according to Adegunle include; Ade Alakija Cup, Brig. General Rotimi Cup, Ibadan Cup, while Shoreline Cup, NFL Cup, Engr Seyi Makinde Cup, Chief Babajide Agbeja Cup, Prof. Jide Owoeye Cup and Gov. Abiola Ajimobi Cup will also be for selected categories.
Packaged by Olanrewaju Agiri
