People from all across the world have long admired the sport of polo. It is a sport that combines the grace and beauty of horses with quickness, agility, and teamwork. But where does polo have its roots?
This well-known sport has its roots in ancient Persia, where the nobility used it as a form of combat training. The game was known as “Chogan,” and it comprised two teams of horsemen striking a little ball back and forth between goals with wooden mallets. Later, the Mughal Empire introduced the game to India, where the elite took a liking to it.
Polo started to become well-known in the West in the 19th century. The sport was picked up by British soldiers stationed in India and brought back to England. The British upper classes adopted polo as a hobby very rapidly, founding the first official polo clubs.
James Gordon Bennett Jr., an American newspaper publisher who established the International Polo Cup in 1890, was one of the most important figures in the growth of contemporary polo. Teams from all around the world participated on this occasion to play in the “sport of kings.”
Polo is now played in many nations, including Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, the United States, Morocco, and England. The game has evolved over the years, with changes to equipment, rules, and gameplay.