Bauchi MA, 28 others seek to battle at Bauchi Polo’2017 Festival

Bauchi is set to witness one of its grandest moments in decades, as over thirty top polo teams across the country, arrive for the 2017 Bauchi annual polo tournament sponsored by Bauchi State Government.

Last year, the ancient kingdom of Bauchi hosted the best of Nigerian polo teams from around the country, in an unforgettable week of exciting festival.

This year, the same contingent and an added number of ambitious new comers are at the ancient city, for the polo extravaganza that is hyped to clearly surpassed last year’s mark in pomp and competition.

Topping the list of established polo centers that would vie for top honours during the prestigious polo fiesta is host Bauchi that has readied seven fortified teams led by Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar powered Bauchi M A who are eyeing the vent’s biggest prize, the Governor’s Cup.

According to the President of Bauchi Polo Club, Col. I. I. Adamu, other participants are the foremost Kaduna Polo Club that lined up five teams for the rumble, former champions; Katsina and Kano who are making a comeback to the Bauchi carnival after years of absence.

Adamu listed participating clubs to include Yola, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Minna, Jos, Zaria, who are still smarting from their hugely successful tournament last April, and are eyeing one of the major prizes at the international polo fiesta.

As at the last count, twenty nine teams will battle for four major titles as the prestigious Bauchi polo extravaganza lit-up the ancient kingdom, but it is the event’s biggest prize, the Governor’s Cup that is headlining the hypes.

Former champions, Kano Nakudu and home crowd favorites, Bauchi MA are already staking huge claims for the top prize, but the Kano quartet of Yakubu Nakudu, Murtala Aliyu, Jamilu Umar and Yusuf Ibrahim, would have their hands full, if the Bauchi MA polo kings parading The Buba brothers, Hamisu and Bello, Haruna Ningi and Comrade Aliyu Ilelah take their winning streak into the already furious Governor’s Cup showdown.

“No matter how hard Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Yola, Jos, Minna and Zaria want the major trophies or how hard any other club for that matter, try, host Bauchi with the highest number of teams and teeming supporters teams, is set to rule Bauchi’2017,” Bauchi polo scribe and captain of their top team, Haruna Usman Ningi declares.

Bauchi Polo Club Vice President, Ali Wanka confirmed on phone that the grand tournament will gallop off with fanfare on July 3 and climax with pomp on July 8, 2017 at the foremost Ningi Road Polo Ground in Bauchi.

Four major prizes are up for grabs with the Governor’s Cup being the event’s biggest reward. Other prizes include the Emir of Bauchi Cup, Emir of Katagum Cup, Sarki Fulani Cup, Beginners Cup and the Veterans Cup.

The build-up for the glamorous event heightened over the weekend with the arrival of truck loads of horses, players and thousands of polo buffs.