|
Imported players steal show at Guinness polo tourney
pius anakali
Senior Correspondent
The year’s edition of the annual Kaduna International
Polo got off to a slow start last weekend with imported players stealing the
show at the exciting championship. “Hired assassins”, like Gustavo
Flores of Argentina and compatriot Santiago Astrada were some of the stars on
parade as action heats up at the highbrow polo club in Kaduna.
The event, which is holding at the Kaduna Polo Club,
chukkered-off on a high note on Saturday, and saw three international
polo professionals attracting the highest of attentions.
Egyptian, Ali Kasheef, the young lad who emerged as
best player at the just concluded African Masters is among 26 other players
battling for honours in the weeklong event.
But even midway into the tournament, the players have
distinguished themselves that polo fans who stormed the venue since the
championship galloped are of the opinion that, the earlier identified trio are
head and shoulders above others in terms of display of skills, their
horsemanship and mastery on the game. There is no doubt that, Santiago Astrada
is by far the most outstanding player in this tournament. Although the game is
yet to be rounded off, but if he continues the way he had been doing, he will
surely be in contention for the Most Valuable Player award.
Others, Saturday Independent gathered were of the opinion that
Flores Gustavo should emerge as the man to watch in the finals.
“It is true that Astrada has been splendid so
far, but Gustavo has equally been spectacular. At the end of the day, I feel
the fight for the best player could be between the two”, another
spectator remarked.
While Astrada features for Kaduna fifth Chukka which
is campaigning in high goal Georgian Cup, Flores is pitching his camp in the
Lagos Trafigura team which campaigns in the Malta Guinness Dickenson Cup.
Ali Kashif is featuring for Kaduna Liyafa Hotel, a
team fighting for honours in the Dickenson, the baby of Malta Guinness.
Tomorrow, which is the final of the championship
being described as one of the biggest in the country, will see Kaduna Fifth
Chukker locking horn in the final of the Geogian Cup with another highly rated
team from Kaduna, El-Amin.
A cross-section of spectators spoken to singled out
the Georgian and Dickenson Cup matches as those that have elicited more
excitement and attracted more spectators than matches in the other categories.
Speaking at this year’s event which coincides
with 100-years of the game in Nigeria, Kaduna Polo Club captain, Ibrahim Abba
Abdul Abdul Kadir said that the over 80- year old event was being celebrated on
a larger scale this year in celebration on of the centenary (100 years) of
playing polo in Nigeria.
“We have over 25 teams from across the country
with three international players featuring at probably the highest level of a
tournament of this kind. Over
Seven million naira has already gone into this event which makes it a huge one
by any standards” he explained.
On how the club was able to maintain the lush green
nature of the pitch despite the harsh hammattan weather, Kadir said that the
club sprinkler and water tankers were deployed round the clock to be able to
achieve the feat.
“Being the oldest and the most prestigious
clubs in the country, we always ensure that we maintain the best of standards.
Keeping the turf in good shape is just one of these”, he explained.
Dignitaries expected to grace the event, which would be round
off tomorrow, include the Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Kaduna State Governor,
Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi and the Northern Emirs.
|
