History of Polo
Established in Middle East Asia roughly between BC 6 ~ AD 1st Century, polo originated in Persia (modern day Iran) in the form of training matches between elite cavalcades for the emperor.
Soon, polo became popular with the Persian nobles and became their national sport. The matches resembled the battles between empires as the teams were comprised of around 100 players.
A record from the 6th century states that the queen and her maids played Polo against King Kosro II Parviz and his attendants, which clearly indicates that women also enjoyed playing polo.
Polo later spread to different regions including Arabia, Tibet, China, and Japan, where the word polo in the Baltic language means “ball”. In 910 AD, it was fabled that a Chinese emperor named
Yayulabogi (耶律阿保機) ordered all surviving players to be beheaded due to the death of his dearest relative during a polo game. Much later, in the 13th Century, the spread of Islam led to the
introduction of polo to India.
Mentions of polo exist in the book “Travels to Persia,” written by Anthony Shirley in 1613. This record made it known that the first Europeans to play polo were the English tea farmers living in
the Assam Province of India. These Englishmen went on to form the first European Polo Club in 1859. Soon after, in the 1860s, the Calcutta Polo Club was also established.
The fame of polo spread rapidly during the mid 1860s after the Captain of India’s 10th light infantry watched a polo match. He was so fascinated by the game, that he gathered his fellow officers to form a team, who later played matches against other British cavalry units. At the time, there were no strict rules, and a team was comprised of 8 players.
In the mid 1870s, polo began to gain its fame in England. Matches began to be hosted at Richmond Park and Hurlingham Park which attracted more than 10,000 spectators. What began as merely a training game for soldiers, polo has now developed into a beloved, highly competitive sport. Its rich history has garnered international prestige and even today it remains highly respected around the world.
The fame of polo spread rapidly during the mid 1860s after the Captain of India’s 10th light infantry watched a polo match. He was so fascinated by the game, that he gathered his fellow officers to form a team, who later played matches against other British cavalry units. At the time, there were no strict rules, and a team was comprised of 8 players.
In the mid 1870s, polo began to gain its fame in England. Matches began to be hosted at Richmond Park and Hurlingham Park which attracted more than 10,000 spectators. What began as merely a training game for soldiers, polo has now developed into a beloved, highly competitive sport. Its rich history has garnered international prestige and even today it remains highly respected around the world.