World Polo Championship
Encyclopedia
The World Polo Championship is a polo
competition between countries. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the Federation of International Polo
(FIP), and is contested by the men's national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by Argentina
, and is now contested every three or four years.
The participating teams must have a handicap up to 14 goals. It's for this reason that, unlike other sport
s, the best players can't play the World Polo Championship.
, Argentina
. Aware of the relative difficulty of fielding high-goal teams worldwide, the early FIP organizers wisely decided to limit competition to teams rated 10 to 14 goals. And, in an attempt to nullify the factor of the horses, they devised the then-revolutionary idea of split strings of horses - assigning matched strings of 28 horses to each team by the luck of the draw.
, at Maifeld, the very stadium that had been the site of polo’s last appearance in the Olympic Games
. The sport had come full-circle, and it underlined the growing influence of FIP in the world polo community. Argentina
, Australia
, Chile
, England
, France
, Germany
, Switzerland
and the United States
advanced to the playoffs. But this time there was a surprise: Argentina failed to make the finals. A talented U.S. team beat England by one goal for a 7-6 final score. The resulting publicity raised the visibility of FIP among U.S. polo players.
, in 1992. Argentina made it “back to back” through the regionals, and knocked off team after team until they wound up in the finals. There they outscored the host country 12-7 for their second World Championship. The U.S. had to be content with fourth place behind England.
, Switzerland. Brazil fought its way gamely through the early rounds to meet Argentina in the final. Now it was Brazil’s turn for triumph. They pulled out an exciting win 11-10 to assume the mantle of World Polo Champions.
Since 1993 MIchael Schultz-Tholen, then the FIP delegate to the International Olympic Committee, arranged numerous meetings with IOC representatives including the President of the International Olympic Committee Mr.Juan Antonio Samaranch. Finally at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the General Assembly of the International Olympic Committee granted the status of an IOC Recognized Sport and accepted the Federation of International Polo as the worldwide governing body for the sport of polo. This decision was confirmed ("outright recognition") two years later.
. Mr. James Easton, a Member of the International Olympic Committee
, presented Argentina, the winning team, with a history-making Olympic trophy. This was the first time in 62 years that the winning team of an international polo tournament was so honored.
, Australia
in 2001 featured eight national teams that qualified through a demanding and highly competitive zone playoff system, which included 24 country teams participating worldwide. Brazil narrowly defeated Australia by one goal (Brazil 10, Australia 9) in an exciting tournament that any of the eight finalists could have won.
, France
. The tournament included eight teams. The qualifying rounds included 28 countries competing. All the games were very competitive. Brazil was not ready to give the title and defeated England in the final game (10 -9) in sudden death.
during May 2008 and was won by Chile
.
, Argentina
during October 2011 and was won by Argentina
. Brazil
being second, and Italy
took the third place after defeating England
. It was the first time in World Polo Championship for Italy
to achieve a podium.
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
competition between countries. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the Federation of International Polo
Federation of International Polo
Federation of International Polo was founded in 1983 with headquarters in Beverly Hills, USA, and currently represents the national polo associations of more than 80 countries. It was the brain child of Marcos Uranga, then President of the Argentine Polo Association. The first World Polo...
(FIP), and is contested by the men's national teams. The inaugural tournament was held in 1987, hosted by Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and is now contested every three or four years.
The participating teams must have a handicap up to 14 goals. It's for this reason that, unlike other sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s, the best players can't play the World Polo Championship.
History
In the early 1980’s, motivated by a desire to broaden the scope of international polo, as well as to restore the sport’s Olympic status, Marcos Uranga, then President of the Argentine Polo Association, proposed that an international organization be formed among the polo playing countries of the world. The initial meetings took place in Buenos Aires, and by April 1982, the Federation of International Polo, quickly known as “FIP,” was created. FIP’s first President was Marcos Uranga.Buenos Aires 1987
To that end, Mr. Uranga spearheaded the movement for a World Championship and scheduled the first for April 1987 in Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Aware of the relative difficulty of fielding high-goal teams worldwide, the early FIP organizers wisely decided to limit competition to teams rated 10 to 14 goals. And, in an attempt to nullify the factor of the horses, they devised the then-revolutionary idea of split strings of horses - assigning matched strings of 28 horses to each team by the luck of the draw.
Berlin 1989
In 1989, the second FIP World Championship was played in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, at Maifeld, the very stadium that had been the site of polo’s last appearance in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. The sport had come full-circle, and it underlined the growing influence of FIP in the world polo community. Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
advanced to the playoffs. But this time there was a surprise: Argentina failed to make the finals. A talented U.S. team beat England by one goal for a 7-6 final score. The resulting publicity raised the visibility of FIP among U.S. polo players.
Santiago 1992
FIP World Championship III was played in Santiago, ChileSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, in 1992. Argentina made it “back to back” through the regionals, and knocked off team after team until they wound up in the finals. There they outscored the host country 12-7 for their second World Championship. The U.S. had to be content with fourth place behind England.
Saint Moritz 1995
In 1995, the fourth World Championship was held in Saint MoritzSt. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
, Switzerland. Brazil fought its way gamely through the early rounds to meet Argentina in the final. Now it was Brazil’s turn for triumph. They pulled out an exciting win 11-10 to assume the mantle of World Polo Champions.
Since 1993 MIchael Schultz-Tholen, then the FIP delegate to the International Olympic Committee, arranged numerous meetings with IOC representatives including the President of the International Olympic Committee Mr.Juan Antonio Samaranch. Finally at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the General Assembly of the International Olympic Committee granted the status of an IOC Recognized Sport and accepted the Federation of International Polo as the worldwide governing body for the sport of polo. This decision was confirmed ("outright recognition") two years later.
Santa Barbara 1998
In 1998, the fifth World Championship was held at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Santa Barbara, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Mr. James Easton, a Member of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, presented Argentina, the winning team, with a history-making Olympic trophy. This was the first time in 62 years that the winning team of an international polo tournament was so honored.
Melbourne 2001
The FIP World Championship VI held in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 2001 featured eight national teams that qualified through a demanding and highly competitive zone playoff system, which included 24 country teams participating worldwide. Brazil narrowly defeated Australia by one goal (Brazil 10, Australia 9) in an exciting tournament that any of the eight finalists could have won.
Chantilly 2004
In 2004, the Sixth World Championship was held in ChantillyChantilly, Oise
Chantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The tournament included eight teams. The qualifying rounds included 28 countries competing. All the games were very competitive. Brazil was not ready to give the title and defeated England in the final game (10 -9) in sudden death.
Mexico 2008
The eighth edition of the World Polo Championship took place in MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
during May 2008 and was won by Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
Estancia Grande 2011
The nineth edition of the World Polo Championship took place in San Luis ProvinceSan Luis Province
San Luis is a province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country . Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja, Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza and San Juan.-History:...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
during October 2011 and was won by Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
being second, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
took the third place after defeating England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was the first time in World Polo Championship for Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
to achieve a podium.
Championships
| Year | City | 1º | 2º | 3º | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1987 | Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent... ,  Argentina |
|||
| II | 1989 | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... ,  Germany |
|||
| III | 1992 | Santiago,  Chile |
|||
| IV | 1995 | Sankt Moritz,  Switzerland |
|||
| V | 1998 | Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean... ,  United States |
|||
| VI | 2001 | Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... ,  Australia |
|||
| VII 2004 World Polo Championship The 2004 World Polo Championship was played in Chantilly during September 2004 and was won by Brazil. Brazil got its third World Polo Championship and with Argentina are the most successful teams in WPC titles. This event brought together nine teams from around the world in the Polo Club du... |
2004 | Chantilly Chantilly, Oise Chantilly is a small city in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune in the department of Oise.It is in the metropolitan area of Paris 38.4 km... ,  Early Modern France |
|||
| VIII 2008 World Polo Championship The eighth edition of the World Polo Championship took place in Mexico during May 2008 and was won by Chile.This event will bring together eight teams from around the world in the Campo Marte of the Mexican capital, where they will play the finals, and all three pitches Tecamac Polo Club, located... |
2008 | Mexico City Mexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... ,  Mexico |
|||
| IX | 2011 | Estancia Grande, Argentina |
Team ranking
| Pos. | Team | Champion | Runners-up | Third | Fourth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 4 (1987, 1992, 1998, 2011) | 1 (1995) | 2 (1989, 2001) | - | |
| 2nd | 3 (1995, 2001, 2004) | 3 (1998, 2008, 2011) | 1 (1987) | - | |
| 3rd | 1 (2008) | 1 (1992) | 1 (2004) | 1 (1989) | |
| 4th | 1 (1989) | - | - | 2 (1992, 1998) | |
| 5th | - | 2 (1989, 2004) | 2 (1992, 1998) | 2 (1995, 2001) | |
| 6th | - | 1 (1987) | 2 (1995, 2008) | - | |
| 7th | - | 1 (2001) | - | - | |
| 8th | - | - | 1 (2011) | - | |
| 9th | - | - | - | 2 (1987, 2008) | |
| 10th | - | - | - | 1 (2004) | |
By Nation
| Country | 1987 | 1989 | 1992 | 1995 | 1998 | 2001 | 2004 2004 World Polo Championship The 2004 World Polo Championship was played in Chantilly during September 2004 and was won by Brazil. Brazil got its third World Polo Championship and with Argentina are the most successful teams in WPC titles. This event brought together nine teams from around the world in the Polo Club du... |
2008 2008 World Polo Championship The eighth edition of the World Polo Championship took place in Mexico during May 2008 and was won by Chile.This event will bring together eight teams from around the world in the Campo Marte of the Mexican capital, where they will play the finals, and all three pitches Tecamac Polo Club, located... |
2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | P. round | - | 1st | |
| 3rd | - | - | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | |
| - | 4th | 2nd | - | - | - | 3rd | 1st | P. round | |
| - | 1st | 4th | - | 4th | P. round | P. round | - | P. round | |
| - | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | P. round | 4th | |
| 2nd | - | P. round | 3rd | - | - | 1ª round | 3° | P. round | |
| 5° | P. round | - | - | P. round | 2nd | 1ª round | - | P. round | |
| 4° | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4th | - | |
| - | P. round | - | - | - | - | 4th | - | - | |
| - | P. round | - | P. round | - | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | P. round | - | P. round | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | P. round | - | P. round | - | - | P. round | |
| - | - | - | - | - | P. round | - | P. round | - | |
| - | P. round | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | - | P. round | - | - | 3º | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | P. round | - | P. round | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | P. round | - | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | P. round | - |