You may be starting in this new world of the sport of kings or already playing but today we want to make a quick resume of all the polo seasons being held around the world in a year.
We talk about “Polo Seasons” as a period during which matches and tournaments are typically played in one place. Some of these seasons are the USA Polo Season, the Argentine Polo Season, and so on. Generally, polo seasons are structured around favourable weather conditions for outdoor play, but if you like the cold weather don’t worry, you can also enjoy some Snow Polo (like in Switzerland or Aspen).
So let’s start travelling around the world with this sport.
Dubai Polo Season
Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is a modern metropolis in the heart of the desert, with lots of futuristic skyscrapers, luxury shopping, and vibrant cultural diversity.
Polo season here usually goes from January to March and polo tournaments take place around the best polo clubs like Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club – Situated in Abu Dhabi, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club, Desert Palm Polo Club and Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club.
The most well-known tournaments are the Dubai Gold Cup, Silver Cup, Ghantoot International Polo Championship & EMAAR Polo Cup.
USA Polo Season
The USPA National Polo Center – Wellington (NPC). ©Global Polo Entertainment
In the United States, we have lots of clubs and tournaments active around the year but the real magic happens in Wellington, Florida from December to the end of April.
Over this period we can see The Gauntlet of Polo, a competition where the most skilled athletes compete in 3 tournaments: C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup & U.S. Open Polo Championship. These matches are held at the National Polo Center.
England Polo Season
Image from https://www.cowdray.co.uk/
The British Army officers introduced polo in England, during the 19th century, after they learned it from their Indian counterparts. The sport quickly gained popularity among the aristocracy and elite.
From May to September, we can travel to the “polo haven” and have some wonderful tournaments there. Clubs like Guards, Cowdray & Berkshire, hold renowned tournaments. Between them, we can find the British Open, The Queen’s Cup & the Prince of Wales Trophy.
Spain Polo Season
Yes, we keep touring Europe during these months of the year.
From May to September we can also find some polo happening in Spain. Clubs like Santa María Polo Club & Ayala Polo Club, in Sotogrande & Real Club de Polo de Barcelona have the biggest tournaments, like Torneo Internacional de Polo (where bronze, silver and gold leagues are played) & Barcelona Polo Challenge Cup.
France Polo Season
From June to September, we can have some champagne, cheese & polo in France.
Clubs like Deauville, Chantilly or Polo de Paris have some important tournaments to delight you with like the French Open, Coupe d’Or and Open de Paris. It’s better to check the polo club websites to know more about dates and matches.
Argentine Polo Season
After travelling to many countries, we return to the “Polo Capital of the World“, Argentina.
From March to May you can enjoy the fall season with Copa República Argentina, Copa Potrillos, and more.
But the most important tournaments in the world are played from September to December in the spring season. The Argentine Triple Crown, 3 tournaments that gather the best players in the world while they compete for these cups: Abierto de Tortugas, Abierto de Hurligham & the Abierto de Palermo (Argentine Open). These tournaments are organized by the Argentine Polo Association.
This doesn’t mean there’s no polo in other parts of the world! Polo is being played in tons of places (Thailand, Pakistan, Canada) all year around but these are the most prestigious high-goal seasons around the globe.
Where do you want to go first to explore this sport? Have you seen any matches in those important polo clubs?
Wanna know more about polo? you can check this 6 questions about polo article or learn more about the equipment used in the sport.
