Ibadan Int’l Polo Tourney gallops off May 20
Ahead of the commencement of the second phase of the national polo tour, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State, is warming up for its grandest moment of the year as the old city prepare to host the 2024 Ibadan International Polo Tournament
The prestigious annual polo festival that stands alone as the biggest sporting cum tourism attraction to the ancient Oyo Kingdom is billed to gallop off on May 20 through May 26 at its traditional Eleyele Polo Ground in Ibadan.
An official of thee Ibadan Polo Club who disclosed this, stated that the club’s President, Koyin Owoeye has already ordered that all relevant committees of the tournament start early preparations ahead of what promises to be one of the most exciting Ibadan tournaments in years.
“We tournament date has been confirmed by the Nigeria Polo Association (NPA) and we are indeed working full blast toward hosting a very special Ibadan tournament this year that would match and surpass all records in all fronts,” he declared.
“Work is already ongoing to put the ground in perfect order and as we are discussing, our marketing and fund raising and other committees are exploring new avenues to add real values to our partners and sponsors both traditional and prospective ones,” he added.
Further checks reveal that the Tournament Committee has started reaching out stakeholders to intimate them with plans to host the 2024 edition of the Ibadan international polo fiesta, just as letters of invitation to participating clubs and teams would be dispatched by the end of April.
The Ibadan polo tournament has over the years set a unique example as one of the most exciting polo events in the country and we are putting together a package that would make the tournament the most exciting in years.
The highly revered international polo festival has over the decades, offers the glittering Ibadan Cup as its biggest prize. The Ibadan top was presented in the early 1930s by Colonel R. Petit of the 9th Lancer of the then British colonial masters.
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Other major prizes to be won during the fiesta include the Rotimi Cup, Ade Alakija Cup played in memory of the former Ibadan Polo Captain, and The GOC Cup as well as a handful selected prizes and awards.
Last year, the prestigious 2023 Ibadan International Polo Tournament ended on high for Lagos, Kano and Jos contingents as visiting Lagos GDF, Kano Golden Alchemy and the long travelling Red Crown from Jos, Plateau State sweeping top laurels on offer.
After seven days of bumper polo actions pitting top teams with all the big names in the noble game of kings and professionals from Argentina, Lagos GDF Global team and its arch rivals, Lagos MSD Bear team emerged winners and runners-up champions respectively in their quest for the Ibadan Cup.
Kano Golden Alchemy defeated all comers to clinch the Gen. Rotimi Cup, while Lagos Workstation finished runners-up in the medium-goal competition that attracted six equally matched teams.
The Sammy Nasredeen powered Red Crown team from Jos won the Governor’s Cup (popularly called (Omi Tun-Tun Cup) on first attempt and earned their third successive Ade Alakija Cup runners-up crown , after narrowly losing to their Lagos Tharwa opponents 4-5 in the final.
It was equally confirmed that the Ibadan event that would conclude the southern tour of the glamorous road tour of the noble game of kings would signal the beginning of the northern leg of the tour with Kaduna and Keffi queuing to take the first and second slots.