| Sport | Polo |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | HPA |
| Founded | 1925 |
| Affiliation | Federation of International Polo |
| Chairman | William Lucas |
| CEO | Anna Hall |
| Replaced | Hurlingham Polo Committee |
| (founded) | 1875 |
| Official website | |
| www | |
The Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) is the governing body for polo in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates and many other countries. [1] The Federation of International Polo produces the International Rules of Polo through a cooperative agreement with the Hurlingham Polo Association, the Asociacion Argentina de Polo, and the United States Polo Association. [2]
Within its jurisdiction, the Hurlingham Polo Association is responsible for implementing the rules of polo and for disciplining players who commit infractions against these rules. [3] [4] It also designates handicaps for each of the 2,500 or so players in the UK. [5] [6] It drew up the first set of formal British rules in 1875, many of which are still in existence. [7]
The association originated as the Hurlingham Polo Committee in 1875 (which drew up the first English rules). [8] The Hurlingham Polo Committee was re-titled as the Hurlingham Club Polo Committee and expanded to include representatives on the council from the Services, the County Polo Association (formed in 1898 to look after the interests of the country clubs and to run the County Cup Tournaments), the three London polo clubs - Hurlingham, Ranelagh and Roehampton - and from all associations within the Empire where polo was being played in 1903. Later, in 1925, the Hurlingham Club Polo Committee was re-designated as the Hurlingham Polo Association. [9]
Polo is a ball game that is played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports. It originated in ancient Persia, dating back over 2,000 years. Initially played by Persian nobility as a training exercise for cavalry units, polo eventually spread to other parts of the world. The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small hard ball through the opposing team's goal. Each team has four mounted riders, and the game usually lasts one to two hours, divided into periods called chukkas or chukkers.
Hurlingham may refer to:
Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Europe, the Melbourne Cup in Australia, and the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup races in the United States. Victory in these races marks a horse as being particularly talented, if not exceptional, and they are extremely important in determining stud values. They are also sometimes referred to as Black type races, since any horse that has won one of these races is printed in bold type in sales catalogues.
Claire Janet Tomlinson was an English polo player and pony breeder. She was the highest-rated female polo player and coached the English national team she once captained.
The Federation of International Polo (FIP) is the international federation representing the sport of polo, officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The FIP was founded in 1982 by representatives of eleven national polo associations, and it represents the national polo associations of more than 80 countries. Its principal aim is to enhance the international image and status of polo.
Charles Torquil de Montalt Fraser was High Sheriff of West Sussex in 2006–07.
Mariano Aguerre, is a professional polo player in Argentina and the United States. He achieved a 10-goal handicap in the United States in 1994 and in Argentina in 1998. He is currently rated at 9 goals in both countries. He is a nine-time winner of the Argentine Open at Palermo, winning with three different teams: Ellerstina, Chapa I and La Dolfina. The Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame announced that Mariano was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
The International Polo Cup, also called the Newport Cup and the Westchester Cup, is a trophy in polo that was created in 1886 and is played for by teams from the United States and England. Matches were conducted 12 times between 1886 and 1939, suspended during World War II, and not revived until 1992 due to changing times and interests. Originally contested as a best-of-three series, single-game matches have been held since the event was revived. The most recent match was held in March 2023 at the National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida, won by the English team.
Arena polo is a fast-paced version of polo played outdoors on an enclosed all-weather surface, or in an indoor arena. Hurlingham Polo Association and US Polo Association have established their own rules for arena polo, and these rules are often used in other countries as well.
The Roehampton trophy is the oldest polo trophy in the United Kingdom. The trophy was first played for at the Roehampton Club in 1902 and was won by Buccaneers. Today it is played for at the Ham Polo Club, the tournament is played for at an 6-goal level and the finals are held in August.
William Francis Walsh (1907–1992) was an Irish polo player. He is regarded as one of the three key figures in the post war revival of the sport of polo in the United Kingdom. He single-handedly restarted Ham Polo Club in 1946.
John Horswell is an English polo player and coach. At height of his playing career, Horswell held a 6 Goal handicap and played for The England Polo Team himself. Horswell is regarded within the polo community as one of the best polo coaches in the world and travels the globe teaching at different clubs. Horswell's current handicap is 3 goals and he holds an 'A' grade HPA umpiring qualification. He is also on the HPA Committees for coaching development and Arena Polo. John Horswell is the father of Chloe and Alannah who are extremely established young thriving academic girls with impressive polo records.
Greg Keyte is a professional polo player from New Zealand, Keyte currently holds a 5-goal handicap though he has been rated higher in the past.
Sebastian Hugo Dawnay is a professional polo player who holds a 4-goal handicap outdoors and an 8-goal arena polo handicap. Sebastian has played for the England Arena Polo Team on several occasions as well as winning the Arena Gold Cup at The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club. He has also played in some of the major outdoor polo competitions in the UK winning the British Open for the Gold Cup at Cowdray park with CS Brooks in 1996.
West Wycombe Park Polo Club was an HPA-affiliated polo club, playing on beautiful grounds set within the West Wycombe Park Estate in Buckinghamshire, England.
The Oxford University Polo Club is the Discretionary Full Blue sports club for competitive polo at Oxford University. Founded in 1874, it is one of the four oldest continuing polo clubs worldwide. Its annual Varsity Match against Cambridge University Polo Club, established in 1878, is the second oldest continuing polo fixture in the Western world. It is played at Guards Polo Club, England, usually at the beginning of June.
The Varsity Polo Match is an annual polo match between the Oxford University Polo Club and the Cambridge University Polo Club, played between teams of four players. Historically it was known as the inter-University Challenge Cup or inter-Varsity polo match. It is also known as the University Polo Match or by a title that includes the name of its current sponsor. Members of both teams are traditionally known as Blues, with Oxford in dark blue and Cambridge in light blue.
The Australian Polo Federation is the governing body for the sport of Polo in Australia.
The Argentine Polo Association is the guiding entity of the game of Polo in the Argentina. It is a non-profit association constituted on September 14, 1922 in Buenos Aires.
This list details the Oxford University Polo Club Varsity teams that have competed in the Varsity Polo Match against Cambridge University since its inception in 1878.
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