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Nigerian polo teams have for decades been flying the flag of this country at numerous international polo events, but none has attracted rave reviews like the El-Amin’s participation at the just concluded Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series.

Weeks after the Nigerian elite field of world stars and their Arab friends tangoed in the prestigious Dubai Polo Cup tournament, highly placed individuals and the media are still talking about the glamorous.

One such review came from none other than the life chairman of the Nigerian Polo Federation, Abdulmumuni Kabir, a traditional ruler (emir) who alongside other Arab kings and royalty, gave the event a regal touch.

The royal father who witnessed all the games in the Gold Cup series, singled out El-Amin for special mention, noting that Nigerian polo will eternally be grateful to Mohammed Babangida and his team for putting country on the global stage.

A place in history

Kabir, who described El-Amin’s campaign for honours in Dubai as an eye opener, says that history will reserve a special place for the Nigerian flag bearers, as the first African team to play in Dubai and in the Gold Cup Series.

“Dubai Gold Cup’2011 polo tournament may have come to an end, but the memories of watching the Nigerians making their fatherland and the African continent proud in a high class polo event that is dominated by some the best players from Argentina and Europe, will last a lifetime,” he said.

He noted that under his leadership, the Nigeria Polo Federation will continue to encourage Mohammed Babangida and his El-Amin polo organisation because of their zeal, commitment and focus, which are the hallmarks of trustworthy ambassadors that they are.

“Between goals and success, there is one crucial factor, passion. Passion is the will to win, the strength within, the courage that ignites success. These are some of those special tributes that makes El-Amin the best polo team in Nigeria today, if not the whole of Africa,” Kabir said.

The Polo Federation President, Francis Ogboro, who cheered El-Amin in all their games described their participation in the Gold Cup series an historic outing that further confirmed Nigeria as one of the leading polo playing countries in the world.

The NPF boss who hailed Babangida and his boys for putting up a brave campaign in a highly competitive field, despite the glaring shortage of the needed horse power to compete at such an international stage, said the Gold Cup trip was loaded with a lot of positives that would greatly enhance the game of polo in Nigeria.

“The experiences and the lessons to take home are quite many, but it is quite interesting to see El-Amin making their mark on rented horses where their opponents are fortified with their best mounts and are enjoying the full complement of three Argentine professionals each.”

He said apart from the numerous business openings that the Dubai Gold Cup offers, the Polo Federation intends to use the Dubai experiences to improve the game locally in terms of tournament organisations, Grounds maintenance, strict adherence to rules of the game and repositioning of polo as a powerful corporate sports with its highly revered marketing attributes.

Ogboro, who noted that the Gold Cup is a major part in the series of exposures aimed at preparing the Nigerian players ahead of the forthcoming Federation of International Polo Zone D Polo World Cup qualifiers billed for Malaysia in June, said Nigeria is blessed with a lot of talents who are capable making an indelible mark on the global stage.

Adding colour to the tourney

Apart from eulogising El-Amin for their skills and cohesive display of team work, the Arabs who apparently didn’t know the game of kings is as popular in Africa just as it is in Argentina, USA and in Europe, were full of praises for Babangida and his African team mates.

Arab media follows fashion dictates. For years, glossy magazine stories about the high life in Dubai were the only diet one could get. Now, however, the tide has changed to sports, and the flavour of the month is the participation of Nigeria’s EL-Amin in this year’s Dubai Polo Gold Cup Series.

There is some justification for this. Since the beginning of the year, the Arab world has been treated to high profile sporting championships, with all the big names in golf, tennis, rugby and now polo, descending on the glittering Dubai city, and the media cannot just ignore it.

To the residents of Dubai who trooped out in their droves to watch the Nigerians play, it was a life time experience for a city that has been so infatuated with superlatives, but in ten fleeting days they were really thrilled by the top firing Nigerians whose training seasons attracted a capacity crowd.

Some of the notable Arabs who were impressed with El-Amin’s enthusiasm and participation in the Gold Cup series include Chairman of Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, Rashid Al Habtoor who led his Mahra team, patron of Dubai Falcons, Ghantoot polo boss, Saeed Bin Dral and the Jordanian, Faisal Yabroudi who powered his DCC Sumaya in the Gold Cup.

Gold Cup Tournament Chairman and Habtoor Polo patron, Mohammed Al Habtoor who hosted El-Amin and the Nigerian contingent to a farewell dinner, said EL-Amin as added real international colour to the event.

Faris Yabhouni, whose Abu Dhabi team defeated Dubai Falcons in the final to win the Gold Cup, says he is looking forward to playing the Africans next year in the high profile series played under the patronage of the Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Sashid Al Maktoum.

“Dubai has reached a critical mass and has positioned itself as a trading and service hub in an oil rich region, and now sports particularly the king of games, is warming up to complement global capitalist role model,” he said.