Around the World in search of polo – part three
By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
Continued – part one can be found here and part two here
Played in almost eighty countries around the world, whether you favour sun, sand or frozen lakes, polo can be found in any number of destinations. In the southern hemisphere the key polo season is October through to Mid-March, and in Europe the summer season opening ‘throw in’ begins late in April and finishes at the end of September. Outside of these dates matches are played around the globe in any number of countries from Brazil, Australia, India and South Africa, to Mongolia, Dubai, Chile, Thailand and China; with the UK, USA and Spain hosting established high goal tournaments. Ultimately however, if you want to see the best polo in the World it is during the final months of the year that you need to head to Argentina to witness the skill and horsemanship of the players and their unbelievable ponies who compete in the 40 goal tournaments – The Tortugas Open, Hurlingham Open and Argentine Open – the ‘jewels’ in the polo scene known as The Triple Crown.
Part three of ‘Around the World in search of polo’ features highlights of tournaments around the World to be played from September to December 2015 – it is not intended to be a fully inclusive list, but merely allow an overview of where matches can be seen. As Sir Winston Churchill so famously said, ‘A polo handicap is your passport to the world’ – and with modern travel and times if your ‘polo handicap’ is still waiting on your bucket list, at least as you travel you can enjoy all the thrills of the game as a spectator on a global level.
August/September
France – French Open, Chantilly
France – FIP European 8 Goal Championships
September
UK – Audi International Test Match, Chester
USA – Women’s Tournament, Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, California
Singapore Open, Singapore Polo Club
France – The European Polo Championship 2014, Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly
Brazil – Guards International Sao Paulo Polo Trophy Tournament, Helvetia Polo Club
China – British Polo Day, Tang Polo Club, Beijing
Azerbaijan – 1st FIP Arena Polo European Championship Azerbaijan
Argentina – Jockey Club Open, Buenos Aires (high goal)
September/October
Argentina – Tortugas Open, Tortugas Country Club, Buenos Aires (high goal)
October
Argentina – Hurlingham Open, Hurlingham Club, Buenos Aires (high goal)
Australia – Kurri Burri High-Goal, Kurri Burri, NSW
Australia – Ellerston Spring Trophy, Ellerston, NSW
Australia – Jamie Mackay Memorial Tournament, Windsor Polo Club, NSW
Australia – Spring High Goal Championships & British Polo Day, Garangula Polo
USA – The 5th Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Horses and Horsepower
China – Super Nations Cup, Goldin Metropolitan, Tianjin Goldin Metropolitan Polo Club
China International Polo Challenge, Tang Polo Club, Beijing
November
Argentina – Camara de Diputados
Australia – Melbourne Cup, Melbourne
India – Indian Open Polo Championship, Jaipur Polo Ground
India – 9th Manipur Polo International, Imphal Polo Grounds
Mexico – British Polo Day presented by Land Rover, Balvanera Polo & Country Club
November/December
Argentina – HSBC 122nd Argentine Open, Palermo, Buenos Aires (high goal)
December
Chile – 93rd Chilean Open Championships, Club de Polo y Equitación San Cristobal, Santiago
UK – HPA Christmas Club Championships, Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club (arena)
India – British Polo Day presented by Land Rover, Jodhpur Polo and Equestrian Institute
USA – USPA Piaget World Snow Polo Championships, Aspen Valley Polo Club