Polo in Argentina

Prior to coming to Argentina, a few certain things sprung to mind when I thought about the country. Visions of red wine-drinking, steak-eating, polo-playing, tango dancers contributed to my preconception of a rather alluring and decadent lifestyle of the vida here in Argentina. Although of course, this is rather a large generalization, there is no better way to witness Argentine life than at a polo match.

The Polo season in Argentina runs from late September to early December and is deemed the best in the world. The players here are second-to-none; consistently topping world rankings and maintaining the highest standards in their games. Known throughout the world as ‘hired assassins’ due to their ruthlessness and incredibly skillful style of play the Argentine players are seriously good and start learning young.

Although Polo is thought to have originated in Persia, the game was introduced to the British during their colonial occupation of India, where the modern day rules were formed. Considered an elite sport in Britain, Polo made its way over to Argentina in the late 19th century where it became one of the country’s most popular sports, attracting massive crowds and being broadcast live on television. Argentina has a lot of horses, and the low lying fertile ‘Pampas’ are the perfect breeding ground, rendering the country the ideal place for a Polo obsession to start.
Each game of Polo consists of 2 teams with 4 players, on horses, on each side. The aim of the game is simple; to get past the defense and score in the other teams goal. The games are incredibly fast-paced and exciting to watch, hence the drawing of massive crowds and the electric atmosphere that ascends through the crowd.

The Argentine Polo season is host to many games, culminating in the three week-long Argentine Open in Palermo from the end of November to the beginning of December. Thousands flock to the championship, not only to watch the extreme skill and incredibly high standard of the games, but also to soak up the glamour and prestige that the tournament exudes. A place to see and to be seen, the Argentinean Open is one of the most important Polo championships in the world and well worth a watch if you can get your hands on a ticket!