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Origins
Polo is, among primitive disciplines, not only one of the
most antique games involving mallets and balls, but also the
oldest sport played on horse-back. Although some millenary
pictures show that the Egyptians were Polo players, it is said
that the sport was originally conceived in Persia around the IV
century b. C and was known as Chaugan. From Persia, it was taken
to Constantinople, where it found its way to both the Eastern
and Western Worlds. Through the Turquestan, Chaugan reached
China, Tibet and Japan. During the XIII century, the Muslim
conquerors took it to India, where it was baptised as "Polo", a
term used to call the type of wood with which the balls where
made. The word "Chukker" (circle) was also taken from the Indian
language. It will be in this country where, in 1764, the English
merchants will get to know it, becoming instant fans.
In 1859, at Silchar, Assam, the very first Polo Club was born,
closely followed by Calcuta's, in 1863. Since natives played
Polo with no player, time and space limit, the English decided
to document and write compulsory rules and regulations. In 1883,
the Hurlingham Polo Club was founded with a clear aim: to unify
rules and standards and become, with Hurlingham's Polo
Association, the International centre of the sport. Thanks to
all this, Polo was quickly spread throughout Europe, having
success especially in horse-filled-countries, like Spain.
Many believe, though, that it was thanks to the French that Polo
found its way throughout Europe. Their theory says that Persia's
Chaugan, once it reached Constantinople, was learnt there by the
French Crusaders, who took it back to France, where it was
baptised with the name Mail. From France, Mail was taken to
England. As time went by, Mail's resemblance with Cricket
extinguished its popularity till the complete disappearance of
the sport.
Polo reached America's coast thanks to Gordon Bennet, an
American citizen that having seen a match at Hurlingham, fell in
love with the sport, bringing back home a great variety of
souvenirs: balls, mallets, pictures, copies of the rules, etc.
However, it will be in South America, in Argentina, where Polo
will find their most talented adepts. Brought to the Argentine
Pampas around 1875 by the English immigrants, the new sport
built an empire in Santa Fe. It is said that, on August 30th of
that year, David Shennan gathered a group of English residents
in his "estancia" to play a match of Polo between Ciudad (City)
and Campo (Country). A couple of days later (September 2nd), a
local newspaper ("The Standard") published the event considering
it as the very first step of Polo in our country:
"Shennan's estancia could not be more beautiful with its grounds
filled with flags to celebrate a match of Polo. (…) Each player
used two horses: one to play and another as back-up. (...).
Campo dominated the whole match and made three goals in less
than an hour. Some of Ciudad's players had never seen a match
before, which explains why it was so hard for them. Shennan and
King had excellent performances, well supported by their fellow
teammates. After the game, both quartets were cheered with
hoorays by all those who travelled miles to enjoy such new
event."
Polo in Argentina
had its first match in estancias as "La Celedonia", "Las
Petacas" and "Los Ingleses". As time went by, many towns opened
their own clubs: Venado Tuerto, Cañada de Gómez, Quilmes and
Flores. Finally, in 1888, the most prestigious club of all was
born: Hurlingham. Four years later, The River Plate Polo
Association gathered all Polo lovers, giving birth to
Argentina's Polo Association in 1922.
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Argentine Open
Championship
The Argentine Open is quite old: It was born in 1893, thanks to
The River Plate Polo Association’ authorities, who, when they
saw how important the sport was becoming in Argentina, decided
to create an Open Championship. The first one was played that
same year and the winner was that time’s local team, Hurlingham.
During the first years, when teams competed for the River Plate
Championship Cup, the Open was played twice a year: one in
April, at Hurlingham Club and the second in October, at Cañada
de Gómez Club. However, to reduce costs, in 1896 (year in which
the championship received the name "Argentine Open") it was
decided that the Tournament had to be held only once a year.
Until 1927, the host club was Hurlingham.
As Argentina’s Polo Association’s authorities saw that the event
was followed by an increasing amount of fans, together with the
members of the Army’s Horses’ Commission, they decided to
encourage the construction of two grounds at the Argentine
Horse-Riding Centre. The fields proved to be rather low and
flood – able, so the initial work was centred in filling and
levelling the grounds (1.30 m above the existing level).
For all those fans and followers, general stands were designed
and built. The new facilities were officially opened on October
27th, 1928 and to celebrate, two teams (both with 17 goals)
played the first inaugural match
The victory was for Civiles, which won 8 to 6. Few days after,
on November 17th, a second match was played, now with the best
players of that time (both teams had 26 goals):
Blancos won for a 7-goal-difference (10 to 3). Since then, those
grounds became the Argentine Open’s official facilities.
Between 1949 and 1950, thanks to a loan by the National
Government, AAP’s authorities ordered the construction of new
stands for ground N¼ 1 (those new buildings are now known as A
and B). For 1966’s Américas Cup, sector C was inaugurated.
Since its birthday, the Open has only been cancelled twice: in
1914 due to World War I and in 1945 because of World War II. In
1985, the final matches were postponed till April 1986 as
consequence of an epizootic fever. The Argentine Open is a
world-known event, Polo’s Mecca, and throughout this past
century it has become a dream for every player.
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