50th anniversary: Port Harcourt Polo Club, biggest sports, tourism event – Captain
The trophies being competed for were the King Diette-Spiff Cup, featuring players with plus 10 and above handicap King TJT Princewill Cup, which has players with handicap of plus six to nine.
Captain of the Port Harcourt Polo Club, Cassiel Irimagha says the ongoing 50th Anniversary celebrations of the club was one of the biggest sports and tourism events in Rivers and Nigeria at large.
Irimagha said on Wednesday, in Port Harcourt, that the event had brought a lot of people from across the world into Rivers.
He disclosed that the golden jubilee celebration of the Port Harcourt Polo Club, had 33 teams across Nigeria and other countries and over 500 ponies competing for four cups.
"It has brought in a lot of people from across the world and most of the players are coming to Rivers for the first time; so, the potentials and possibilities are actually endless.
"Rivers is open for business, tourism and it is a way to showcase what Port Harcourt, the Garden City, and the State has to offer, as there are over 10,000 people gracing the event.
"Almost all the major hotels in Port Harcourt are fully booked because of the influx of people into the Rivers capital for this event," he said.
According to the Polo Captain, the trophies being competed for were the King Diette-Spiff Cup, featuring players with plus 10 and above handicap King TJT Princewill Cup, which has players with handicap of plus six to nine.
"Chief OB Lulu-Briggs Cup, which features handicap of plus three to five and TY Danjuma Cup, which has a handicap of minus two to plus two; the games are well underway.
"Teams from Kano, Ibadan, Lagos, Minna, Yola, and players from South Africa, Argentina, England and across the world are competing for these titles, which are among polos most prestigious, he added.
Irimagha said the cups to be won were for prestige and bragging rights, because profit making was not the focus of polo.
"In Polo, the competition is not for profit making, rather you spend your money to win prestigious trophies and the legacy for the players and the team.
"Polo is a game that cuts across anyone, no one should shy away from it but give it a trial and enjoy the prestige," he stated.
He said the quality of the polo played at the Port Harcourt celebration was one of the best in the world.
"We have top ranking polo players from Argentina, the mecca of polo and I am very impressed.
"The Port Harcourt teams, representing Rivers, are putting up a good show and the crowd is entertained to have a feel of polo experience," the Polo Captain said.
The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, former governors, serving Senators, House of Representatives members and former leaders of the national assembly, were among dignitaries at the celebrations.