Top Polo Stars Set for Georgian Cup Showdown at Kaduna International Tournament

The prestigious Georgian Cup, one of Nigeria’s oldest and most celebrated polo trophies, will take center stage this weekend at the Kaduna Polo Club as part of the annual Kaduna International Polo Tournament.

Sponsored by First Bank of Nigeria Limited, this year’s edition will feature an impressive lineup of elite players from around the world, including Nigerian stars Bello Buba, Bashir Dantata, and Abdulmalik Gbadamosi, alongside Argentine professionals Tolito Ocampo and Silvestre Donovan.

Leading the charge for glory is Mohammed Babangida’s Kaduna El-Amin team, the most successful side in the tournament’s history. Babangida has claimed the Georgian Cup a record 16 times — 15 with El-Amin and once with Kaduna Kakuri. Other top contenders include Adamu Attah’s Fifth Chukka, former winners Kaduna Kangimi, the 2023 champions, and Hadi Sirika’s Abuja Rubicon.

The weeklong event will also feature several supporting competitions, including the Emir of Katsina Cup (medium goal), the Imani Cup (low goal), and other low-goal categories. First introduced in 1918 by FirstBank, the Georgian Cup remains the oldest and most prestigious polo trophy in West Africa, as well as one of the longest-running sports sponsorships in the world.