Introduction & History of Polo

The Origins and Journey of Polo

Polo is often called the “sport of kings,” but its story stretches far beyond royal palaces. More than 2,000 years ago, on the steppes of Central Asia, warriors played the earliest forms of the game. It began as a way to train cavalry — Persian and later Mongol horsemen used polo to sharpen their riding skills, teamwork, and battlefield awareness. Matches were not just entertainment: they could involve hundreds of riders a side, blurring the line between sport and military exercise.

From Persia, the game spread eastward along the Silk Road. Chinese emperors, fascinated by horses and mounted sport, embraced polo as early as the Tang Dynasty. By the Middle Ages, polo had become a symbol of nobility and military prestige across Asia.

In India, polo took root particularly in the northeastern state of Manipur, where it was known as sagol kangjei. British tea planters and army officers stationed there encountered the game in the early 19th century. They were captivated by its pace and spectacle, and they began to codify rules to make it more uniform.

This led to the formalisation of polo under British officers in the 19th century. The foundation of the Calcutta Polo Club in 1862 gave polo its first official home, making it the oldest existing polo club in the world. From there, the sport travelled to England, where the Hurlingham Polo Club in London became the centre of rule-making and competition.

By the early 20th century, polo had spread across the globe:

• Argentina emerged as the powerhouse, thanks to its vast pampas and exceptional horsemanship traditions.
• The United States built a strong polo scene, especially through the United States Polo Association (founded in 1890).
• Europe, the Middle East, and beyond established their own clubs and tournaments, cementing polo’s reputation as an international sport.

Today, polo is played worldwide, from the pampas of Argentina to the desert fields of Dubai, from the green lawns of England to high-goal tournaments in the US. It remains one of the oldest continuously played team sports, blending speed, skill, and strategy in a way that links its ancient origins to its modern global appeal.