CSPA TOUR TO NIGERIA: 8-16 JANUARY

On Sunday 8 January, Lieutenant Colonel Justin Stanhope-White RLC, Majors Nick Hunter KRH, Michael O’Dwyer IG and Captain Mark Dollar RHG/D embarked on a week long polo tour to Nigeria to play in the inaugural Nigerian International Military Polo Tournament.

The brainchild of the US led MPIR mission and the US Embassy, the aim was to invite as many military teams as possible from across the world, to come and take part in a four day Polo Tournament. The purpose was to help develop and enhance Nigeria’s profile through out the world. Countries represented included Nigeria, UK, US, South Africa, India and Egypt.

Prior to our departure, correspondence with the UK Defence Attaché in ABUJA had not painted a rosy picture on our likely expectations. We were warned that in certain parts of the country malaria was rife, corruption was an everyday activity and the food/ water was an acquired taste! So the departure lounge of Heathrow airport was a subdued affair with everybody contemplating the forthcoming week.

On arrival at ABUJA we were met by members of the Nigerian Army and Colonel Bill Byrd (an American heading up the logistic effort), who was to be our saving grace for the next seven days. Hardly touching our feet on the ground, we were quickly whisked off to the Hilton Hotel to freshen up prior to our three hour drive north to KADUNA where both the hotel and Polo Club were situated.

Our home for the week was the Crystal Garden Hotel in KADUNA, some 20 minutes south of the 5th Chukka Polo Club, the hosts of the Tournament. KADUNA is by no means cosmopolitan, and in fact hosted the Miss World massacre some two years ago.

The venue for the polo was the 5th Chukka Polo Club just north of the town. Situated in what can only be described as the middle of nowhere, the Polo Club was a lavish affair. Owned by Mr Adamu Atta, a Nigerian businessman, it comprises one polo field, 150 horses with stabling and all the associated facilities. Beautifully laid out, it is one of the best in West Africa. The club is currently the centre piece for a $1 billion private development project to build and run a race course, casino, hotel, game reserve and four further polo fields.

On arrival in KADUNA, we headed off to the club to try our horses. The weather was hot and dry, with temperatures rising to about 35 degrees in the day, a far cry from the UK in January. On arrival, nobody was really sure what to expect, however we were presently surprised. Each team was allocated 16 horses for the tournament, but all in all we tried about 20, which led us to our eventual pool. The majority were from Argentina and all looked amazingly well and appeared fit and ready to go (which is more than can be said for the players, who were a little rusty from the previous year).

Having tried the ponies we headed for dinner and some light refreshment. The evening activities were always going to be a highlight when the South Africans were in town and we were not to be disappointed; bonding and team building in the bar went long into the evening. With the exception of breakfast, which was served in the hotel, all meals were provided at the Polo Club in one of the thatched huts overlooking the field, allowing everybody to sit together and chat.

Tuesday provided the first opportunity to try the horses in some slow chukkas. After a leisurely start in the hotel, everybody moved to the club for some lunch before playing. After playing four short and relatively relaxing chukkas we were satisfied with the horses, our bodies on the other hand were not so accommodating.
Wednesday saw the first day of matches.

After a players meeting in the morning and some initial concerns from the Indian Army over the draw, all was set. two leagues of three teams were created, with the winner of each league going through to the final on the Saturday. An exhibition game from elements of the remainder would also be played that day.

League 1: Handicap League 2: Handicap
UK 6 US 2
South Africa 6 Nigeria 6
India 8 Egypt 6

Our first game was against the South Africans, after speeches, national anthems, introductions and a lot of sweating, the game finally got underway. Right from the start the game was played in the right spirit, highly competitive and very entertaining. Despite some very heavy breathing and perspiration on our side and a number of wasted opportunities, we held them to four all in the last chukka, however in the dying moments they found the posts and we lost 5-4.

Our next game was on Thursday against the Indian Army, a team completely focussed on winning at all costs. Right from the word go it was a highly competitive and an extremely physical match. Due to a poor second chukka and playing catch up in the third, we went into the last chukka a goal down. Despite any early goal to go ahead, we were unable to keep the advantage and eventually went down by one and a half goals, we lost 6 – 41/2. A disappointing result but great fun.

A great deal of organisation and hype went into the final day on Saturday. Sadly the atmosphere was slightly tainted by the fact that the Nigerians had been knocked out the previous day by the Egyptians. Diplomats, Emirs, Sheikhs all arrived, with the entourages getting longer on each occasion.

The first game however was an invitational match made up of members of the remaining teams. After the ritual of drawing straws, Major Michael O’Dwyer and Captain Mark Dollar got the call up. The final was between India and Egypt, with the Indians as the favourites. After a slow start the Egyptians eventually got going but lost by three goals in the end.

On Saturday evening all the teams, including the Indians who had previously refused to travel with the remainder, loaded up and headed south to ABUJA for the final day of the tour. After a rather early start, dressed in Service Dress, we headed into the centre of the city for the Annual National Remembrance Service. With front row seats, we watched the arrival of the President with his Mounted Escort and participated in the 45 minute commemoration of fallen Nigerians. With a massed band and members of all four Services, including the Police, on parade and some very complicated rifle drill immediately to our front, it made for a very moving service. The final act was the releasing of 50 doves as a sign of peace and unity, the only problem being that when they opened the cage, none flew out; what do they say? Never work with animals or children!

Nigeria, despite all our concerns, pulled off a ground breaking event. They succeeded in hosting an amazingly well organised and enjoyable tournament for all concerned. Huge amounts of credit must go the Nigerian Army Polo Association and the 5th Chukka Polo Club for all their hard work. The organisation, horses and polo far exceeded our expectations and we shall look forward to going next year.