Polo & Sport

Sport of kings – king of sports: Polo The sport of polo originated two thousand years ago in Persia – today’s Iran – spreading through the centuries first to China and Japan, and then from the Far East to Europe and on to the Americas. It’s in Persia that the name ‘pulu’ originates, which means ‘root’, probably referring to the willow tree from whose wood the ball was made. From China Polo reaches India where it finds a new homeland: it soon becomes the favourite sport of the Indian kings, the Maharajas, who spread it to Europe and from there around the world, starting in British colonial times. The British cavalry take to polo straight away as it effectively functions as a form of military training, the action of riding with a pole in your hand being not wholly unlike charging the enemy with a bayonet. The first ever Polo Club was established right there in India in the second half of the 18th century, the time when the sport also arrives in Europe via Malta. And the spread of polo didn’t stop there: still thanks to the English it crossed the ‘pond’ to find fertile ground in Argentina. Here, the wholesale presence of Argentine horseback-riding gauchos all across the pampas grasslands – flat plains ideal for horses - and the excellent quality of the horses themselves, particularly responsive to training and highly resilient, all helped the rapid development of polo as a sport. What is polo’s particular attraction? The sport of kings, polo is elegant, the essence of style and charm. It’s a small step from the world of polo to that of luxury and exclusivity. But it’s also about the courage and bravery of the players whose ultimate goal is to win, of course. And then there’s that perfect balance that exists between them and their steeds. Speed, dexterity, stamina, split-second timing: who can resist the charm of the king of sports?