History of
Polo
The history of polo is
relatively short as it quite a new sport, it has
only been around for 160 years, but supposedly back
in the XVI century in India a very similar sport was
already being played. The origins of polo can be
searched for in the Indian state of Manipur, between
300 A.C, when it was known by Sagol Kangjei. Some
also claim to that its origins are Persian, and that
it was called Pulu, between 525 A.C. Throughout the
years it expanded to countries like Tibet, China,
India and Japan, where a special form of polo took
place; it was called dakyu in the VIII century. It
then became very popular in India in the XVI
century.
The history of Polo seems to begin during the
decade of 1850, when some British officials destined
to India learned to play it there. The first polo
club of the modern age was called the Cachar Club,
founded in Assam in 1859. It was first played in
England in the year 1869, by officials of the
cavalry of the Tenth Hussars. In the United States
it was first played in the year of 1876.
Until 1880, Polo was played under a roof, from then
on it was also played outside as well, this last one
becoming the most common method. Every decision
there is about Polo is managed by the Hurlingham
Polo Association, which has governed this sport
since the first day and until today, it has its main
offices in London, England. Their first match was
played in 1874 and they wrote a book of rules, made
especially for England, in 1875.
Polo was included in the Olympic games of 1900,
1908, 1920, 1924 and 1936. In 1989 the first world
championship took place. The Champion Cup was the
first British tournament, which was played from 1876
to 1939. In 1956 British Open Championship, replaced
the Champion Cup, and it is played every year to get
the Cowdray Park Gold Cup, at Cowdray Park,
Midhurst, Sussex. The first International match
between England and the United States took place in
Newport, Rhode Island, in 1886. The most prestigious
trophy there is; is probably the American Cup
between the United States and Argentina, which was
first celebrated in 1928 and it has been won by
Argentina most of the times.
