Polo players in action

The MTN/Yola’2012 International Polo Tournament has produced its first set of winners.

The first cup of the MTN powered event that was decided before a full house at the legendary Lamido Musdafa Polo Ground was the event’s biggest honour, the Governor’s Cup, which saw the top firing Max Air emerging proud winners.

To clinch the coveted title, quartet of Lawal Mangal, Ado Madawaki, Muhammadu Seriki and their chief predator, Bello Buba edged out top rival and defending champions, Abuja Rubicon to clinch the coveted title.

The airliners who won second Nigerian Cup title last month in Katsina, maintained their winning run, defeating arch rivals, in their opening clash, before being held to a 1-1 draw by the former champions in a fierce final battle.

Rubicon parading Idris Badamasi, Malik Badamasi, Jamilu Mohammed and their patron, Senator Hadi Sirika needed a big win to defend their Yola title, but their final effort was not enough to wrestle the glittering prize from Mar Air, who held on to clinch their first major MTN/Yola polo title.

Mangal and his teammates who arrived the Lamido Musdafa Ground for the MTN fiesta as favourites lived up to the billings against the hard fighting Rubicon who were eyeing their second MTN title in three years, with a 5-4 victory in the tense final to emerge champions of
the prize which remains one of the most wanted titles in Nigerian Polo Federation (NPF) calendar.

“We want to thank our supporters for their trust and urging us on even when we fell behind in the third chucker. It was a sweet victory that would be celebrated for a long time to come, because defeating a strong and experienced team like Rubicon take a lot of courage,” declared an elated Buba who scored three of their five goals haul.

The second major title to carted home so far in the MTN polo festival is the coveted Lamido Cup where Bello Buba led Katsina Pers Oil brush aside the tall ambition of host Yola Yelwa to clinch the royal title sponsored by the Fombina Emirates Council.

Other glittering prizes to be carted home by the winners in this MTN international polo fiesta includes, General Hassan Cup, Admiral Nyako Cup, The Intels Cup, Lamido Adamawa Memorial Cup, M.C Tahir Cup.