“I love London. I love the U.K., but if I was going to live anywhere else on Earth, it would be Australia.” – Tom Parker Bowles Polo reached the beautiful shores of Australia through the city of Warrnambool in the Western Districts of Victoria in 1874. After this historic day, the game of polo had peaks and plateaus of popularity over the next century. Shortly after the oldest Australian polo… Read More »History of Polo in Australia
Polo first reached Germany in the mid 1890’s through Hanseatic merchants who learned of its growing popularity throughout England. Shortly after, the Hamburg Polo Club was founded in 1898 in today’s Derby Park. Realizing the exponential growth in the popularity of the sport, Germany quickly moved to international play. In 1902, the Hamburg Polo Club invited teams from Budapest, Hurlingham, and St. Petersburg to participate in a tournament that would… Read More »History of Polo in Germany
Polo was brought to the western world by British cavalry regiments. But it was the British infantry that is credited with bringing the game to South Africa. Infantry regiments such as the Gordon Highlanders, the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, and the Cape Mounted Rifles all became avid polo players during their time in the Cape Province and other stations in South Africa. In 1874 the Gordon Highlanders and the… Read More »History of Polo in South Africa
Player Profile A “Super-Star”, a “champion”, an “inspiration”, Hope Arellano goes by many names in the polo world, but none truly capture the formidable reputation of this iconic female player. Since she was just nine years old, Hope Arellano knew she wanted to be a professional polo player like her Hall of Famer father, Julio Arellano. Setting her first record at fourteen as the youngest woman to win the U.S.… Read More »Hope Arellano
There is something intangible that drives most women who play polo. It’s not prestigious championship titles, or their love for horses, although both play a major role in why they love the game. The force behind their mallets and epic celebratory hugs on horseback comes from their desire to leave the sport better for the next generation of women. It’s an unspoken sisterhood that thrives within the sport. But for… Read More »Maddie and Sophie Grant – Sisterhood of Polo
If England ignited the explosion of polo across the globe, then Ireland was the fuse. History of Polo in Ireland In Cachar in 1859, the 10th Huzzars, a British Cavalry regiment, and tea planters from the area competed in polo matches. A detachment of these officers were later stationed in Limerick, Ireland shortly before returning to England. This chance encounter in 1868 between local horsemen of the Army and the… Read More »History of Polo in Ireland
France is one of the most visited countries in the world with an iconic culture of class and luxury. Among the many reasons to visit France, from wine and cheese to the arts and fashion, their prowess in polo attracts fans from across the globe. France has an amazing polo history that began only twenty years after England’s first club was established. Ever since, the country has been on the… Read More »History of Polo in France