Polo: A Romantic Sport

“Polo is not just a sport, it is a way of living.”
The more you watch a game of polo the more you fall in love with the game which has given so much to the world than just entertainment and leisure time. The sport which comes with a great deal of history has played a role in the social structure of a society.

Polo was first played like a miniature battle back in the 6th century before spreading to different parts of the world. India first came to know about the game in the 13th century although the widespread expansion of polo was done by the British in the early 1600s. India’s first polo club – Calcutta polo club was formed in the early 1860s soon after the formation first European club in 1859.

Polo by this time had many changes about rules but the most significant change came during 1888 where a system of handicapping the players was devised to equalize the tournament. Both the United States and England had different associations who played with a different set of rules. This led to the first ever international rivalry in polo where it soon became a tradition to play three matches annually.

Another remarkable achievement polo has is the introduction of women to the sport in the 20th century and occasionally a woman was also included as the fourth member.

Whenever a team sport happens, the spectators always have their views about how the team could have played since there can be many different types of tactics a team can apply to score the goal. Polo also gives immense joy to the spectators who discuss how tactfully a team outplayed the other. It gives so many moments to cherish throughout the game which is a major reason people have come to watch.

The game has given us some legendary players like Thomas Hitchcock and John Hay Whitney who were far too ahead of the time during their years of play. Yet there is another name which is a must to include - Sue Sally Hale, a legend who first played the sports disguising as a man for over 20 years before she became the first woman to be granted membership of United States Polo Association.

Beyond the basic rules and history, the sport kept itself updated throughout the social evolution globally.

Polo is a sport which has got my eyes every time I get an opportunity to watch. This game is as beautiful as it looks with some extraordinary plays and when those magnificent figures run you just cannot stop romanticizing it!