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Polo’s International Origins and Modern Prominence

In his latest piece for the Sporting Memories website, American writer Jack Shaw details the origins of Polo and the sport’s prominence across the globe.

Polo originated as a training exercise for Central Asian nomads before evolving into a sport favored by Persian royalty and later adopted globally through military and colonial influence. Its legacy spans from ancient cavalry drills to modern international competition.

Polo, one of the world’s oldest team sports, predates recordkeeping — the earliest accounts note that the game began as war training for Central Asian nomads as they migrated to Persia, likely between 600 BCE and 100 CE. The first recorded tournament occurred between those dates, reportedly with over 100 players involved. 

‘Pholo’ supposedly evolved from the Tibetan word meaning ‘ballgame.’ The sport evolved into an activity associated with royalty, often played by kings and princes among the Persian elite. During the Middle Ages, polo became a cavalry training exercise from Constantinople to Japan. Its discovery by British tea planters in Manipur saw polo spread to Malta through the British army and navy.

The Origins of Modern Polo

In the 19th century, polo started taking on a form closer to the modern game you are familiar with. Official British colonisation of the Indian subcontinent in 1857 — known as the British Raj — formalised the sport, with the first European polo club, the Silchar Polo Club, opening two years later. The club had existed since 1834 but hosted no formal games. In 1862, the Calcutta (now Kolkata) Polo Club began operation and is, perhaps, the oldest polo club still operating today.

Despite polo’s extensive adoption in India, there were no formal rules until 1876. That year, an Irish officer named Captain John Watson of Britain’s 13th Hussars Cavalry division established the Hurlingham Rules for the English Polo Club. These regulations included a cap on the number of players per team, standardizing the sport. Of course, this made playing more predictable and enjoyable, letting players enjoy the benefits of horseback riding, including stress and anxiety relief, posture improvement and enhanced coordination.

The International Spread of Polo

When polo crossed international borders, it caught on like wildfire. Enthusiasts from India carried it first to Malta in 1868, then to England in 1869, Ireland the following year, Argentina in 1872 and Australia two years later. Not long afterward, the New York Herald’s James Gordon Bennett watched his first polo game in England. On his return to New York in 1876, he carried polo mallets, balls and a copy of the recently devised Hurlingham Rules in his luggage.

The United States experienced its first indoor polo game at a New York riding academy that winter, before a Westchester County, N.Y., field hosted the first outdoor game in the spring of 1877. New Yorkers introduced polo to Newport, R.I., that summer, and it spread quickly across North America thereafter. By the 1920s, more than 1,000 clubs run by wealthy Americans had sprung up.

Though England and the U.S. held the first modern international polo tournament in 1886, a third country did not get involved until 1928, when Argentina played the U.S. Matches involving Argentina and India also took place in the 1950s. 

International polo became more widespread throughout the latter half of the 20th century, with Argentinians dominating the global stage. Argentina elevated polo to its national sport, cultivating generations of elite players and influencing global standards for skill and strategy.

Polo in the 21st Century

International polo has made great strides in the 21st century by reaching broader audiences. The Federation of International Polo, with 86 member nations, and the U.S. Polo Association have partnered. An additional American initiative connects numerous U.S. colleges in an effort to grow polo among younger age groups.

The ‘home of British polo,’ the renowned Cowdray Estates location of the Cowdray Park Polo Club, hosts 35 events annually. One is the British Open Polo Championship for the prestigious Cowdray Gold Cup, which draws around 10,000 enthusiasts for the final alone. England remains among the elite world polo-playing nations, with Argentina, the U.S. and Spain joining it. 

Polo’s global footprint continues to expand, with longtime leaders such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Iran, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Switzerland and regions across the United Kingdom joined by emerging nations embracing the sport. Worldwide, inclusive initiatives have gained momentum — many countries actively recruit women players and those from diverse backgrounds to ensure polo evolves with societal values.

Reflecting on polo’s rich and storied legacy, increased global exposure has opened doors for athletes from all backgrounds to enter the sport. Though traces of its elite image remain, polo has steadily shifted beyond its traditional confines, welcoming broader participation and evolving into a more inclusive arena for talent and passion. 

As an accomplished writer and Fitness editor at Modded, Jack Shaw has established his reputation as a respected authority on sports and their effect on physical health. His work can also be found in publications such as SportsEdTV, Better Triathlete and Senior Lifestyle Magazine.