The finals 2018 Port-Harcourt International Polo Tournament sponsored by Access Bank Plc will remain fresh in the minds of participants as the annual competition held at the foremost Port-Harcourt Polo Club produced five big winners in the major cups categories.
The tournament that galloped off January 21st attracted Polo lovers from across Nigeria and beyond including top teams from Kaduna, Kano, Ibadan, Abuja, Lagos, and host Port Harcourt parading some of Nigeria’s most experienced players, and professionals from South Africa and Argentina.
The Access Bank Cup final, decided before a surging crowd that included top government officials business icons, traditional rulers and diplomats was undoubtedly the star match of the weeklong polo fiesta.
It was Swiss international team parading two South Africans and two Nigerians who made history as the first ever winners of the glittering Access Bank Cup polo prize in Port-Harcourt, defeating their Old Mutual opponents 9-7 after an explosive five chukkas final confrontation.
Other big winners of the prestigious polo extravaganza that prides itself as the biggest in the oil rich Niger Delta region, are Abuja Rubicon who won the T.Y. Danjuma Cup, to emerge the overall champions thrice on the trot, and Almat Group team that clinched the second most wanted prize, the Governor’s Cup at first attempt.
Two Kaduna based contenders, Trappco Ranch and Tilla Farms teams won the Lulu Brigg Cup and King Diette Spiff Cup respectively, to complete the list of major champions of the 2018 Access Bank Port Harcourt Polo Tournament.
The unparallel commitment by Nigeria’s most innovative banking giant, Access Bank Plc in the promotion of polo across the country, received official thumps-up from the Rivers State Government and traditional rulers from the region.
Rivers State Governor and Grand patron of Port Harcourt Polo Club, Nyesom Wike and the first governor of old Rivers State, His Majesty, King Diette Spiff, both noted that the partnership of Access Bank with Port Harcourt polo Club has impacted positively on the tournament.
“Access Bank’s participation in Port Harcourt polo this year is quite commendable and I will continue to urge other corporate organizations to emulate the sterling qualities of Access Bank by joining hands to develop sports in the state and across the country,” King Diette said in his closing remarks.
Ambassador Idaere Gogo- Ogan who represented Access Bank boss, Herbert Wigwe as the Special Guest of Honour , led other dignitaries to decorate the winners and the runners-up at a colourful closing ceremony that drew the curtain on the international tournament.