With a surging crowd watching on at a packed legendary Murtala Mohammed Polo Ground, Rubicon defeated hard-fighting Lintex to win the First Bank sponsored Georgian Cup title, making it a double for the Abuja-based polo kings.
Rubicon’s second team had earlier clinched the Emir of Katsina Cup.
In doing so, Rubicon became the first Abuja- based polo team to have won the cup thrice in the over a century history of the competition
which is one of the biggest and the most revered polo cups in the world.
“It feels fantastic,” Minister of Aviation and Rubicon team patron, Senator Hadi Sirika enthused moments after receiving the 400- year old trophy from the Group Managing Director of First Bank, Adesola Adeduntan at a colourful ceremony witnessed by royal fathers, governors, business gurus, diplomats and societal élites.
“It’s such a proud moment; it’s an historical event for Kaduna and polo across all of Nigeria and indeed Africa. We want to say a big thank you to First Bank and our teeming fans and to all those who believed in us,” he added.
Other winners at the glamorous polo fiesta include Rubicon (2), Kaduna Trappco and Abuja Guards teams. Their sterling performances fetched them the Emir of Katsina Cup, the Imani Cup and the EL-Amin Cup respectively.
“On behalf of our main sponsor, First Bank, I congratulate Rubicon and other proud winners on their achievements,” Kaduna Polo Club President, Suleman Abubakar declared.
“I would also like to thank First Bank and our other esteem sponsors, partners whose commitments and participation made the Georgian Cup Centenary such a prestigious and a memorable celebration,” he added in his closing remarks.
From its profound origins rooted in noble values to the naturally evolving symbiosis between player and horse; First Bank Georgian Cup polo tournament reflects pure passion, quality, competitiveness and
fair play.
At the well attended Award and Gala Night where First Bank received a replica of the 400 year trophy first donated in 1919, past winners of the Georgian Cup were decorated with Blue Jackets in recognition of their legendary achievements.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of First Bank restated the bank’s decision to maintain it’s sponsorship of polo for a centenary now steams from the game’s shared values of heritage, passion and commitment, which have remained the core values of the premier banking giant in the last 125 years of operation in Nigeria.
Some of the awardees to include; Bala Shagari, Amana Idi, Dawule Baba, Jamilu Mohammed, Babangida Hassan Katsina, Adamu Yaro, Ibrahim Mohammed and Bello Buba who has won the Georgian Cup a record 18 times.
Other Georgian legends that were decorated with the Blue Jackets include Mohammad Babangida whose El-Amin team remains the first team to have won the Georgian Cup 14 times since its inauguration in 1919.
