Baku to host Arena Polo World Cup in September
By Nazrin Gadimova
The Arena Polo World Cup will be held in Azerbaijan on September 6-8. With the slogan "Bringing Polo Home", four teams -- from Britain, USA, Argentina and Germany -- will participate in the tournament.
Chovgan, the original form of the polo sporting game that dates back thousands of years, is still played in Azerbaijan, but the modern version of the sport has not yet managed to gain a foothold in the land on the Caspian Sea.
Chovgan originated in the middle of the first millennium A.D. as a team game. It has been very popular for centuries both in Azerbaijan and Central Asia. Fragments of the game were portrayed from time to time in ancient miniatures, and detailed descriptions and rules of the game were also reflected in ancient manuscripts.
Only a few people know of the connection between chovgan and polo. It is a reminder of the roots of the original polo sport in Azerbaijan. Today, however, polo is going back to its roots and Azerbaijan is celebrating the first-ever polo competition in the country.
The Arena Polo World Cup will be held in the new Outdoor Polo Arena at the Elite Equestrian Centre in Baku. The event's highlights will include a friendly game between the Azerbaijani team Chovgan and one of the competing teams, to reflect upon the roots of polo in Azerbaijan. The three-day tournament is being presented by the Azerbaijani food company Milla together with World Polo GmbH and local partners.
To represent this exclusive and exciting event on the royal equestrian sports at a high level, organizers have included expanded entertainment programs and parties featuring international celebrities in the show.
Those who join this exclusive event will have three unforgettable days of the polo extravaganza, filled with exciting entertainment.