2017 Abuja Carnival Polo: Dogonyaro Farms, Iyatu, Almat sweep laurels
The just concluded 2017 Abuja Carnival polo tournament was a grand event and its many legacies will surely linger for quite a while. By far, the biggest buzz of the annual fiesta was the participation of the International Aviation delegates and the Dogonyaro Farm led titles sweep by Abuja teams.
In what has become another first for the Carnival, the over 800 international Aviation delegates who were of the who were in Nigeria for the World Forum Conference, were treated to a special day of exciting polo at the serene Guards Polo Club, venue of the fiesta with Nigeria top rated player, Bello Buba leading a star cast of high profile players on show.
While the delegates who spend the whole mingling with top echelon of the society will certainly have a lot to remember about their trip and the carnival experience, Isa Dogonyaro and his Dogonyaro Farms glitters to spark a clean sweep of titles for Abuja teams.
Team Dogonyaro Farm parading Abdullahi Auna, Kabiru Bage, Ibrahim Paki and their long shooting patron, Isa defeated their arch rivals, Team Capital Builders (Mohammed Jibril, Gidado Abdullahi and Nura Suleiman) in a local derby to clinch the Low-goal title.
“It’s just the two of us battling it out for supremacy in the Guards Challenge Cup and so as it stands it’s a one point difference but I can assure you that it will count for nothing in the finals. Dogonyaro had warned ahead of the final that saw him triumph.
Top firing Almat LCC Group ( Nura Suleiman, Idris Badamasi, Malik Badamasi and Rabiu Mohammed playing without their patron, Maurice Ekpenyong added another carnival major for Abuja, edging hard fighting Aviva ( Nasiru Lukat, Mukhtar Adhama, Bashir Dantata and Jamilu Mohammed) to snatch the event’s biggest prize.
The only big prize that escape Abuja grabs was the mediumgoal prize that was carted home by Honourable Aliyu Wadada’s powered Iyatu Farms who outpaced two strong oppositions in impressive rehearsals ahead of their Keffi Ranch international exciting throughout the week in Nasarawa State.
2017 annual carnival which galloped off on a blistering pace with a colourful durbar at the Guards Polo Club also throw up other top finishers with Capital Builders, 30 Horse Power and Aviva enjoying red carpet podium moments as runners up in the three cup categories that were at stake.
Guard Polo Club Chairman, Musty Junaidu who described the carnival fiesta as one of the most exciting in the series, lauded the FCT Administration and Nigerian Tourism Board for partnering the club on the carnival.
Tournament Manager, Aliyu Umar whose capital Builders could not fly high in the Guards Challenge cup face up, single out the Chinese construction giants for identifying with the Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika in hosting the IWAF Forum and the polo event.