Rekke

Polo has been played in Barbados since the 19th century — and today remains one of only two Caribbean countries where the sport still thrives.

The origin of Polo dates back to around 600 BC in Northern Persia (modern day Iran), where the sport was first played as a training exercise for the Cavalry Units for the Kings Guard and other elite soldiers. Early forms of the sport were far rougher than modern polo, sometimes involving up to 100 players on each side and resembling a small battle rather than an organized sport. From Persia, polo began to spread across Asia and into India, where the British Army first encountered the sport during the 19th century. The first official polo club, the Retreat at Silchar, was founded there in 1859, although formal rules for the modern game were not introduced until 1875, when Hurlingham Club in London became the recognized headquarters of polo.

The British then carried the sport throughout the Western World where it was introduced to Barbados and Jamaica in the late 1800s. The origins of the Barbados Polo Club date back to 1884 when British officers played matches in front of the Drill Hall at the Garrison Savannah — making it one of the oldest polo clubs in the western hemisphere. Local sugar planters soon joined the sport and matches quickly developed into major social events on the island. As polo in Barbados continued to grow, the sport eventually outgrew the grounds at the Garrison Savannah and to meet international standards a full-size field needed to be found. The Barbados Polo Club then later relocated to Holder’s Equestrian Centre — simply known today as Holders — which remains its official home.

The game is surprisingly easy to follow once play begins. The matches feature two teams of four players who use a polo mallet — always played with the right hand — to hit the ball between goal posts. After every goal which counts as one point, the teams switch directions to keep conditions fair, especially with factors such as wind and ground conditions affecting gameplay where players must quickly adapt. Matches are played in periods called “chukkas,” each lasting seven and a half minutes, with the full match running roughly an hour and fifteen minutes. What many first-time viewers may not realize is that the horse is the most significant part of the game, with players strategically selecting different horses throughout the match based on qualities such as speed, while also trying to match the abilities of the opposition to ensure a fair and competitive game.

Polo in Barbados is mainly played at the Barbados Polo Club in Holders and Apes Hill Polo Club on the island’s west coast. The island also hosts seven or eight international polo matches each year, offering visitors the opportunity to watch teams from around the world compete on the island. It is not what you’d expect to find in the Caribbean on a Sunday afternoon — horses galloping across a polo field while spectators socialize with drinks under the sun — and that alone makes it worth visiting.