Polo: How Kangimi won FirstBank Georgian Cup after 10-year wait
FirstBank sponsored Georgian Cup Polo Tournament is better witnessed than imagined.
Back slapping, hugging, rapturous laughter in the midst of tumultuous crowd taking selfies with their favourite players better explained the excitement and mood of everyone who witnessed another history made.
For the financial institution that has bankrolled the competition over the past 103-years, it was legacy sustained. And for Kangimi, the wild celebrations are justified after what seems to be an endless wait to savour fame, once again from the Georgian Cup.
That’s the type of fame that comes when you win a big sporting tournament in the mould of Georgian Cup, better expressed by Policeman +3 player, Lado Aliyu, a polo gladiator, who said winning the Georgian Cup, the biggest trophy on offer at the annual Kaduna International polo tournament is like winning the World Cup.
“We have been trying to win this Cup for a very long time now. This year made it ten years we’ve been trying”, Lado said, “But today our dream has come to pass”, he added, running back to the Kangimi camp where his fellows were busy jubilating.
The excitement is understandable. It was all about the famous Georgian Cup, a High Goal Cup which currently sits as the premier and the most prestigious polo trophy in West Africa sub region.
The Georgian Cup, made out of the Georgian Silver in 1785 was first presented by the then British Bank of West Africa, now FirstBank and has since been sponsored by the bank. This year marked the 103 years of the banks support. Thus winning it, confer instant fame, bragging right and honour on the winners.
But winning the elusive trophy didn’t come on a platter of gold; they had in El-Amin, a formidable opponent to contend it.
Owned by Mohammed Babangida, a star in the polo world and 15-times winner of the coveted Georgia Cup, and Adamu Attah; Patron of the famed Fifth Chukker and Kaduna Kangimi.
Popularly referred to as Kerri Parker, Attah is a +3 handicap polo player and has in his team, Lado Aliyu +3, Abdulrahman Mohammed +3, Argentina’s Fercudo Ratamor +6 and Nicolas Recaite +6.
The opposing side has Babangida+3, the scion of the Babangida family, a man who loves winnings, Ibrahim Babangida +3, Ringa Genaro+6 and Bautista Arastus+6. The two teams assemble their team of international players with total handicaps that peak at +18. And so the action began.
A quick burst of speed from Babangida’s dribbling runs and early goal from the +3-handicapper gave an indication of what is to come. But Kangimi were up to the task as Lado’s charges forward to level for his side. With their actions, the players literarily set the field on fire, keeping the royalties who graced the finals on the edge of their seats in the six rounds.
Like they say, where two elephants fight the grass suffers. Truly, in this year’s final, the grass suffered but fans were entertained.
Satisfied by the organization and skills displayed, Shehu Aliyu, Group Executive, Retail Banking, North of FirstBank, said: “FirstBank is the nation premier financial services provider and as such we believe in legacies, across all our relationship. The Georgian Cup which is the most prominent and the most prestigious in polo calendar in Nigeria is one we have sponsored over the last 103-years is part of our legacy.”
“Of the over 130-years of our existence FirstBank has consistently been identified with sporting events. We have sponsored Dala Tennis for over 35 years. We have consistently sponsored Lagos Open for 62-years because we believe in legacies. We are a legacy institution and through our sponsorship and support for sporting events in Nigeria, and we have been able to support the nurturing of talents in polo, golf and tennis. We will continue to support sports in Nigeria.”
What’s more, in Kaduna last weekend, it was legacy sustained.
Thenationonlineng.net
