There are few tournaments in the world that require as much grit, strength, strategy and teamwork as the Gauntlet of Polo. Set in the heart of the Winter Equestrian Captial of the world at the National Polo Center, the Gauntlet is the sports toughest test. It’s a three month long competition that comprises of the top tournaments in the United States: the C.V. Whitney Cup, the USPA Gold Cup and… Read More »Another Exciting Season in Palm Beach
“I love London. I love the U.K., but if I was going to live anywhere else on Earth, it would be Australia.” – Tom Parker Bowles Polo reached the beautiful shores of Australia through the city of Warrnambool in the Western Districts of Victoria in 1874. After this historic day, the game of polo had peaks and plateaus of popularity over the next century. Shortly after the oldest Australian polo… Read More »History of Polo in Australia
Polo first reached Germany in the mid 1890’s through Hanseatic merchants who learned of its growing popularity throughout England. Shortly after, the Hamburg Polo Club was founded in 1898 in today’s Derby Park. Realizing the exponential growth in the popularity of the sport, Germany quickly moved to international play. In 1902, the Hamburg Polo Club invited teams from Budapest, Hurlingham, and St. Petersburg to participate in a tournament that would… Read More »History of Polo in Germany
Polo was brought to the western world by British cavalry regiments. But it was the British infantry that is credited with bringing the game to South Africa. Infantry regiments such as the Gordon Highlanders, the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, and the Cape Mounted Rifles all became avid polo players during their time in the Cape Province and other stations in South Africa. In 1874 the Gordon Highlanders and the… Read More »History of Polo in South Africa
Player Profile A “Super-Star”, a “champion”, an “inspiration”, Hope Arellano goes by many names in the polo world, but none truly capture the formidable reputation of this iconic female player. Since she was just nine years old, Hope Arellano knew she wanted to be a professional polo player like her Hall of Famer father, Julio Arellano. Setting her first record at fourteen as the youngest woman to win the U.S.… Read More »Hope Arellano
There is something intangible that drives most women who play polo. It’s not prestigious championship titles, or their love for horses, although both play a major role in why they love the game. The force behind their mallets and epic celebratory hugs on horseback comes from their desire to leave the sport better for the next generation of women. It’s an unspoken sisterhood that thrives within the sport. But for… Read More »Maddie and Sophie Grant – Sisterhood of Polo
Polo is one of the oldest team sports that began as an opportunity to showcase the Manipuri Pony: a formidable war horse and a sacred creature. Today, the Manipuri Pony is considered endangered, but their best qualities have been passed down to the modern polo pony. The perfect pony is hard to find, but “having a good horse is one of the most important aspects in the game…it’s like racing… Read More »What makes a good polo pony
The sport of polo is both fast and freeing. The most important part of the game is the connection between the horse and the player. Horses are incredibly sensitive animals in both their demeanor and adaptability. Regardless of the size of the horse, the slightest touch anywhere from nose to tail is instantly registered due to their hypersensitive sense of touch. Overtime, this incredible evolutionary skill has become the foundation… Read More »Polo and the Connection between the Horse and Player
A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE HORSE MASTER’S DUTIES AND THE PROCESS FOR SELECTING THE POOLED HORSES. During the FIP World Polo Championship, the selection of horses was as special as this global event. Each team was provided with a hand-selected number of horses that were rated based on several factors. The rating was conducted by an official “Horse Master,” a professional who tested each horse and determined how to divide… Read More »Picking Your Equine Partner
Wellington’s equestrian community has become a powerful economic engine for Palm Beach County. Wellington was once renowned for having the world’s largest strawberry patch. Now it is home to a thriving equestrian community with a $280 million economic impact on Palm Beach County. With 57 miles of trails and two sporting venues, the upscale village of 66,000 averages one horse for every three residents. No other place on Earth can… Read More »Setting the Pace