Background

One of the oldest sports in the world, Polo dates back at least 2,000 years, with the first recorded match being played between the Persians and Turkomans in 600BC. The Turkomans won.

From Persia the game migrated to the East, eventually establishing itself in India by the 16 Century under the patronage of the Mughal Emperor Babur, as well as in China and Japan.

It was in India that the British tea-planters and the British army stationed there first saw and played the game in the 1850s, before enthusiastically taking it back to England in about 1869, from where it spread to some of the other European countries with a strong equestrian tradition, including Russia, Poland, Austria and France.

Today, more than 77 countries play polo. It was an Olympic sport from 1900 to 1939 and has now been recognised again by the International Olympic Committee. Whereas once the game was primarily played by Royalty and later cavalry, today the sport has become more accessible and attracts a broader spectrum of society.

The first game in Australia was played at Moore Park, Sydney, in 1874, and from there it spread throughout the country. Unlike in some other countries, in Australia the origins of the sport have always been far more humble, with the farmer being its backbone, as immortalized by Banjo Patterson’s “Geebung Polo Club”.

Over recent years, the growth of the sport across the globe has been substantial, and in Australia, the sport is being embraced by young urban professionals captivated by the excitement and adrenaline of the sport, as well as lured by tranquil and often exquisite bush settings of many country polo tournaments.

Polo is the fastest ball game and some believe it is the fastest growing spectator sport in the world.