2018 Jos Winter Polo tournament gallops off on Boxing Day
The 2018 Jos Winter Polo tournament gallops off on Boxing Day at the popular General Hassan Polo ground in Jos with over twenty teams vying for honours in major titles.
Three traditional cups categories with Governor Cup, NASCO Cup and President Cup would on offer and participating teams would be locked in weeklong battle royals to decide the winners of the winter polo festival.
Secretary Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF) and Jos Polo Club chieftain, Murtala Laushi , has assured tourists and polo enthusiasts that the club will host the best winter polo fiesta will surpass previous editions in every respect in years.
Laushi whose Malcomines polo team are the defending champions of the grand festival, told Polo Royals there would be challenges in delivering the 2018 as the most exciting tournament yet, but the full backing of the Plateau State Government and other stake holders, the organizers will deliver.
“Whatever challenges there are, we will overcome because Plateau people are peace loving and polo freaks who would participate in their droves throughout the weeklong festival.”
“Jos 2018 polo festival will be a festival thriving on ‘strategy, organization, excitements, competition and friendship that would perpetuate the new found peace in the state’” he stated. “We make a solemn promise today that we will give it our all and at the end of the day everyone would say of the 2018 Games, ‘this is our annual tournament in which we are well pleased’ Laushi declares.
Meanwhile, the President of Jos Polo club tournament, Danjuma Umar Dauda has expressed confidence that the noble game that is all about promoting friendship, peaceful coexistence and unity among citizens of Plateau, pointed out that the is encouraging youth participation.
Dauda appealed to Nigerians to shun differences and embrace peace so as to support Governor Simon Lalong agenda of transformation of state.
He told Polo Royals that beyond the king of games, the week-long international fiesta would showcase the tourism potential and cultural heritage of Plateau State.
Barrister Lalong, who is the Grand Patron of Jos polo club and a passionate polo buff, is positioning the annual event revered as the only winter polo tourney in the country, to restore peace and highlight the tourism potential of the Tin City.
Jos Polo Captain, Yusuf Dauda confirmed to Polo Royals teams from Abuja, Yola, Zaria, Minna, Argungu, Maiduguri, Katsina, Kano, Bauchi, Maiduguri and Keffi with enough low goal teams on hand for thrilling contest.
“We have raised the bar and spectators will be thrilled with what they will see as some of the best polo players from across the world will be on parade.” “Apart from showcasing the Nigerian players, we also expecting tourists and polo enthusiasts from abroad to be part of the grand event,” he said.
As the preparations frenzy hit new heights, two visiting clubs, Zaria and Yola, are packaging strong squads to sweep all the major states in Jos this year.
Last year, Zaria West Stream Ponies outgun regulars, to win the highly sort after President Cup title, while Yola Polo Captain, Mohammed Baba who led a compact squad to win the Grand Cereal Cup, is insisting that the Adamawa polo warriors would bring down Malcomines in the race for the Governor Cup.
Parading Abdulkarim Jubrin, Jubrin Magaji, Ibrahim Kure and Sanusi Umar, the Zaria Ponies who defeated home favourites and eventual runners-up, Jos Cisse Energy side, to clinch their third consecutive victory in Jos, are upbeat for another encore in the winter polo warfare.
Beside Zaria and Yola, Jos based teams playing before their teeming supporters should be prepared to take as much as they give, as determined oppositions from Katsina, Kano, Abuja, and neigbhouring Bauchi, are guaranteed on all the titles on offer.