Polo is one of the oldest team games in the world as well as being one of the fastest. While there is no reliable documentary evidence to indicate when the game first started, it is thought that a game similar to that played today first took place around 600BC in persia. From there, it was taken eastwards to India, China and Japan where it was played before the Emporers and their Courts by women as well as men and westwards to Byzantium.
However, the origins of the modern game of polo are well documented. It is known that in 1854 British tea planters and cavalry officers took up the game they witnessed being played by local hill tribesmen in Manipur in Northern India, close to the border with Burma. The first polo club, The Retreat at Silchar in Manipur, was formed in 1859.
Although reports of this new game of ‘Hockey on horseback’ soon reached England, it was not until 1869 when the first game was played by cavalry officers stationed at Aldershot. The first rules for the game were drawn up by the committee of The Hurlingham Club, London, in 1875.
Since those beginnings some 150 years ago, the game has spread around the world and is now played in over 60 countries. The premier playing nations are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Great Britain, Mexico, New Zealand and USA. Since the 1920s, Argentina has been the >foremost playing country and has also produced the ponies best suited for the game.
The UK has led the world in establishing and promoting polo for the young in the Pony Club and particularly in schools and universities. Polo is now an official game in some 40 Preparatory and Public schools and in some 20 universities.
Polo has been described as ‘The King of games’ and, while it is played by a number of Royal families across the world, it is, above all, a game for everyone with a passion for horses.