As for Louisiana's participation, various reports exist of games being played at City Park in the 1920's and at Jackson Barracks in the 1930's.
Today's version of the game debuted in the New Orleans area during the 1970's.
New Orleans Polo Club History
The ancient sport of polo traces its origins to Persia and China over 2000 years ago. In the nineteenth century, Great Britain was credited with modernizing the sport by formalizing rules to the game and organizing the first official club, established circa 1862. During the early twentieth century, the game traversed the Atlantic and the first organized game conducted on American soil was played in the state of New York.
Due to an abundance of equine activity, several members of the Sugar Oaks Polo Club (located in New Iberia) founded a new club in Folsom. Following the geographic relocation, polo has been played predominantly on the North Shore of Lake Ponchartrain with occasional exhibitions staged at City Park.
In addition, the Club facilitated Tulane University's involvement in the sport during the late 1980's and early 1990's.
As of today, polo matches have been held at over fifteen locations ranging from Covington to Folsom, as well as Lacombe and Tangipahoa Parish. Throughout the decades of change, the New Orleans Polo Club is exceptional in having maintained a strong base of avid members from the surrounding metropolitan area. Currently, several members are distinguished in their careers for actively playing for over 30 years.
True to its international heritage, the New Orleans Polo Club hosts players from a variety of nations including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, England, France, Guatemala, Mexico and New Zealand. In addition to players from other USPA clubs across the United States.
With its strong heritage of enthusiastic membership and public support, the New Orleans Polo Club looks forward to a bright future of continuing its legacy by promoting the sport of polo to both residents of the metropolitan area and of South Louisiana.
