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Berlin / DPA
Legend has it that polo originates in Persia and dates back to around 370 BC. Alexander the Great, whose armies swept through some 40 years later, is said to have become an instant fan.
By the mid 19th century the sport had taken hold among Europe’s upper classes, with British army officers among the most passionate devotees — a tradition that continues with the British Royals often seen on polo ponies. Spain is another country where the sport is popular, but Argentina is today seen as its unchallenged mecca. The South American country is home to the superstars of the game and its best horses — called ponies, even though most of the mounts are full-sized horses these days.
Polo matches in Argentina draw crowds in the tens of thousands, and passions run as high as they do with football elsewhere in the world. Long seen as an elite sport — each rider has to have more than one pony — polo is now no longer confined to the wealthy.
“We want to create a wider base for polo,†says Bernhard Willroth of the DPV German polo association, which was founded as recently as 1972 and has seen rapid growth in recent years. The focus is on attracting more young players, with the 35 clubs that are members of the association being motivated to expand induction courses.
There are no super-rich at the polo club in Friesack near Berlin, where Thomas Strunck, 52, organizes one of Germany’s largest tournaments. Chilled water, rather than champagne, is the beverage of choice, and Strunck is adamant that he aims to rid the sport of its elitist and chic image to focus on the skills of the riders and their mounts.
Two teams of four players, each wielding a mallet, vie to strike the ball — usually plastic these days — into the opponents’ goal, which is eight yards wide (7.3 metres). Fitness of horse and rider, good coordination and teamwork are essential. “Pure adrenalin for rider and pony,†Strunck says.
According to the DPV, there are just 400 registered players in Germany, with only 150 playing regular tournaments. There are scarcely any established teams – something that Strunck and his colleagues aim to change.
