By Monica Iheakam
Team Art Hotel gave up its early lead to fall to the superior power of Team Trojan Ark in the opening game of the 2023 Lagos international Polo tournament.
Day one of the tourney, which galloped off over the weekend at the Lagos Polo Club, Ikoyi with the curtain raiser for the Open Cup between Team Art Hotel and Team Trojan Ark was streamed live across the world.
Team Trojan Ark defeated Art Hotel 13-6 after an intense performance that held spectators spell bound.
To set the ball rolling for the opening day was the president of Lagos Polo Club, Bode Makonjuola, Captain of Lagos Polo Club, Rotimi Makonjuola and the club’s Trustee, Dolapo Akinremi.
The interesting highlight that ushered in the Open Cup was the graduation of 20 children from the Lagos Polo Club Academy who were awarded certificates of graduation.
No fewer than 36 teams will jostle for top honours in four major titles and six subsidiary laurels.
The glamorous event would be decided over three weeks of bumper-to-bumper polo actions with six equally matched teams jostling for the Open Cup from January 28 to February 5 in the opening week.
The highly revered Majekodunmi Cup will take the centre stage from February 7 to February 12 with three teams including the defending champion, Lintex, former champion, Leighton Kings and a debutant battling for the top prize.
The last week of February 7 would feature 27 teams drawn from major polo centres across the country locked in battle royale for the Low Cup and the Silver Cup, respectively.
The race for the two major prizes gallops off February 8, while the winners are billed to emerge on February 19, in the final games of the tournament.
Meanwhile, action for the One Cup resumes on Tuesday February first at the Lagos Polo ground in Ikoyi.