The Sports Arena of Queen Elizabeth School in Ilorin was filled to capacity on Sunday, November 16, as the maiden edition of the Kwara Horse Show took centre stage amid pomp and pageantry.

The event successfully opened a new vista for equestrian activities, setting a benchmark for blending youth engagement with cultural heritage. Activities ranged from a horse parade to competitive events like the female horse race, horse drop ball, and horse ball.

Event Winners and Highlights

• Female Horse Race: Asmau Ibrahim edged out other contestants to win the event.
• Horse Drop Ball: The fiercely contested event was won by Sulaiman Aminu.
• Horse Ball: The Ilorin Emirate Horse Royal Heritage Team defeated Kwara Stallion 4-3 in the thrilling event, which was widely adjudged as the most exciting contest of the day.
• Raffle Draw: Habeebat Abdulganiyu clinched the grand prize of a beautiful horse during the raffle draw.

Winners of the raffle draw and outstanding horse riders were also presented with fantastic prizes.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Coach Bola Mogaji, commended the organisers for initiating the Kwara Horse Show.

"The event complement the efforts to sustain the rich cultural heritage of Ilorin, tracing the history of the Ilorin Emirate Durbar to 1930, when it was first staged to celebrate the conquest of the Old Oyo Empire".

The event attracted several top dignitaries, including the Emir of Ilorin, represented by the Magaji Ngeri of Ilorin, Alhaji Adebayo Mogaji; Alhaji Dr. Saliu Woru Muhammed, the biological father of the Convener and representative Prof. Olaolu Ali who is the Patron of the Kwara Horse Show and the Kuliyan Ngeri of Ilorin Emirate.