Abuja set to host 2024 Carnival Polo with fanfare
The Federal Capital City (FCT), Abuja, is buzzing ahead of the eagerly awaited 2024 Abuja Carnival International Polo Festival scheduled to gallop off amid pomp and ceremony from December 4 at its traditional venue at the Guards Polo Resort in Asokoro.
Noted for its cutting edge competition, excitement and grandeur, this polo tournament is one of the major additions to the annual Abuja City Carnival that remains the biggest sporting-cum tourism attraction to the FCT and its environs.
Officials of the Guards Polo Resort confirmed that preparations for the prestigious event that is the second biggest polo fiesta in their annual calendar after the Unity Polo Tournament, is already underway with all stakeholders working toward another thrilling experience during the city’s carnival.
Already, there is an upscale of activities at the resort with the turf, the clubhouse, the stables and the general surroundings receiving attention just as the players and the horses are getting ready with practice sessions ahead of the week-long fiesta.
But unlike previous editions of the glamorous event, only Abuja-based horses may be vying for honours no thanks to the ravaging African Horse Sickness (AHS) that has forced postponements of polo tournaments in neighbouring Kaduna.
Top officials explained that the move to bar visiting horses from the event this year was to support the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the viral sickness to other part of the country and ensuring the general safety of horses.
“ Everyone is on the same card here as we prepare for the forthcoming tournament,” an official said.“ The polo patrons, horse owners, players and the organizers are having discussions on this because the safety of the ponies are of paramount to the noble game of polo.
“The consultations are still ongoing and based on experts’ advice that are being expected in the next few days, a final decision would be taken on whether visiting horses will participate in the carnival this year or not,” he added.
Traditionally, teams from Kaduna where two major international tournaments, the Emir of Zazzau African Patrons Polo and the Kaduna international that is home to the legendary Georgian Trophy, have been put off due to the deadly AHS, alongside Kano and Katsina provide the bulk of visiting teams at every carnival event.
The prestigious Abuja carnival polo debuted in 2009 to complement the Abuja City Carnival, a month-long festival featuring sporting events, cultural displays and parades from major ethnic groups across the country and around the capital city in celebration of the unity of Nigeria.
Major prizes to be won include the President Cup that tops the pack as the event’s biggest trophy. Others are the FCT Minister’s Cup, the Legislative Shield, and the crowded Guards Brigade Trophy as well as a handful of subsidiary cups and awards.
The prestigious 2023 Abuja Carnival Polo Tournament is expected to climax with fanfare at the serene Guards Polo Resort with the Nigerian Police team, Army team, Rubicon, Jos Malcomines and others carting home top laurels from grandiose fiesta that celebrates the noble game of kings with the rich cultural heritage of Nigeria.
