September 16, (THEWILL) – The NSK Farm Team won the prestigious trophy, the “Governor’s Cup”, at the just concluded 2023 Argungu Polo Tournament, while the Heritage Farm team emerged as Runner-up.
The 2023 tournament, which is the 8th edition, galloped on Friday, September 7, and came to a thrilling close on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
Zaria Westream’s team emerged winners of the second most prestigious trophy, the “Sultan’s Cup”, as H. Hago Farm’s team were the runners-up.
“The Emir of Argungu Cup” went to Mera Farms and Sokoto Rima were the runners-up for the host nation Cup – the Argungu Emirate.
Speaking in an interview with Journalists after the event, the National President, the Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF), Nura Sani Kangiwa, lauded the organisers for a job well done.
He said: “Just like a team of polo, it’s a team sport, therefore, to organise a successful event like this requires teamwork, someone needs to become a team player and collectively you will deliver.”
Responding to a question about whether polo is a game of the rich, the national president clarified that it is a sport played by all manner of people including the rich, adding: “Seeing a rich man in a team does not make that team a team of rich players. A lot of rich people play it but it’s not the game of the rich.”
Nura Kangiwa noted with satisfaction that there were lots of people in the locality of Argungu who had not played the game before, but now playing good games due to his mentorship.
The president said: “NSK Polo Ranch is an affiliate of the Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF) and NPF is the highest body of polo that oversees the activities of polo in Nigeria and internationally.”
He appreciated the executive members of the NPF for their support of the Argungu Polo Tournament. He believes such support will eventually make Argungu Emirate one of the best polo and cultural tourism destinations in the world.
On his part, AbdulKarim Jibril, second Vice President, NPF described the entire tournament as a total success, saying: “The tournament was fantastic, we played a very safe game, no injury and the officiating was superb.
“Just like in any game, we always have a winner and a loser, the NSK won the prestigious trophy.”
Jibril, who is from Zaria Polo Club, observed that the tournament was generally conducted in a free and fair environment and competed with many international players including Fernando from Argentina.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
