The ancient city of Bauchi is agog as preparations for this year’s Bauchi Annual Polo Tournament have reached the final stages. The Bauchi Polo carnival this year will kick-start the national tour, which went on break since last February after the Lagos international fiesta.

Bauchi, which usually host the second event of the final lap of the Nigerian Polo season, was handed the task of setting the last lap rolling, after Minna, which traditionally host the opening tournament in the final stage, could not hold this year due to the ongoing infrastructure improvement at the foremost IBB Polo Ground venue.

As the most prestigious polo event in the north eastern part of the country, the Bauchi event this year is guaranteed to be the most exciting in years, as teams from all the polo clubs across the country are making final selections for the Bauchi Polo rumble.
Bauchi Polo Captain, Alhaji Ali Wanka, who confirmed that the event was scheduled to gallop off June 7, listed the Bauchi State Government as the biggest benefactor of the tournament.
With the solid backing of the Executive Governor and Matawallen Bauchi, Mallam Isa Yuguda, First Inland Bank and other corporate and individual sponsors, the event is set to surpass the excitements and competition of the last edition in many ways.

An elated Bauchi patron and the pillar behind Bauchi Polo renaissance, Alhaji Abubakar Kari, assured that visiting teams and followers of the king of sports would have a memorable stay in the ancient city. Teams are expected from Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Yola, Jos, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Minna.
"To accommodate the influxes of entries, we are considering starting the tournament a day earlier. We have put everything in place for a real spectacular Bauchi tournament this year and we welcome as many that can make it," he enthused.
According to the captain, competition for the Governor’s Cup has been raised for teams with total handicap of 10 and above, while that of Emir of Bauchi has been restricted to teams with plus seven to nine handicap ratings.

Long established as one of the premier attractions in the country and beyond, polo has been played at the Mingi Road Polo Arena for decades now, and the popularity of the grand fiesta is far from weaning as tourists, polo enthusiasts from far and wide witness the fiesta in their drove every year.
Last year, the ancient kingdom of Bauchi hosted the best of Nigerian polo teams from around the country in an unforgettable weeklong of exciting festival, with Minna Polo Club making their debut since the inception of the glamorous Bauchi fiesta. Minna Jamil Farm, which created record in one of the event’s main prizes, Sarkin Fulani Cup, are certain to showcase their skills this year.

That same contingent and an added number of ambitious newcomers will be heading to the ancient city, for the Bauchi 2008 extravaganza, which will pit five equally-matched teams in the event’s main prize, the Governor’s Cup.
Fans’ favourites, Bauchi Kari, who are no strangers to top-class polo contest, are clearly the team to beat in the high-goal, as their captain, Musa Kari, set to continue from where he stopped in Lagos last February.
The Dawule Baba-led DeeBee Farms, Umar Kabir-led defending champions, Katsina Kangiwa, Tajudeen Dantata’s Kano Titans and Bashir Yar’Adua’s Hajara Farm, are the usual suspects to race for the top prize, which is guaranteed to go straight to the wire.
The race for the medium-goal Emir of Bauchi Cup, is another thrilling prospect during the weeklong fiesta as heavily armed teams from Kaduna, Katsina, Kano and hosts, Bauchi, are waiting on their wings to explode.

There will be plenty of drama and excitements as over 10 teams from Lagos, Ibadan, Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Yola and neighbouring Jos are lining up for the low-goal Sarkin Fulani Cup.
Bauchi Polo Captain, Wanka, who confirmed this, stated that a new prize, Col. Dangiwa Umar Cup, would debut this year. Col. Umar (retd.) is the Life Chairman of the Buachi Polo Club, which he helped to establish during his days as the Amoured Commander in Bauchi.
Prestigious prizes like the Emir of Katagum Cup, Seriki Fulani Cup and the Beginners Cup are also in the offing. Other Cups to be competed for include the glittering Isa Yuguda Cup, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Memorial Cup, The Commandant Cup, First Inland Bank Cup and the Ramadan Cup.