Russia hosts major polo event

Published 01 September, 2008, 09:19

Polo has only been around for five years in Russia, but already it has managed to attract a small but very dedicated following. The Third Russian Open Polo Championship has taken place just outside Moscow.

Polo is seen as one of the world's most elite sports, but its history in Russia is in its infancy. Banned during the Soviet Union, it wasn't until 2003 that the sport started to appear in Russia.

Polo's development has been solid and has had a big helping hand from the sport's powerhouse, Argentina.

Argentina has always been a popular place to buy polo ponies because of their quality. It takes a lot of time and effort, to produce a throughbred that's capable of competing at the top level.

Alejandro Traverso, one of Argentina’s Russian imports, told RT why his native country is the dominant force in world Polo and produces such great players.

“We start to play at a very young age – at 10 maybe and, as there are many good players in Argentina, youngsters quickly progress,” Traverso said.

Polo is unlikely to ever become a mainstream sport in Russia because it's so expensive. A single horse can cost up to $US 25,000, and four horses are needed by each player in a game.

But this year's championship, despite the cold and wet weather, was a success, with its main aim of encouraging the development of the sport in Russia.

Ten more players took to the field this year in comparison to 2007, and most of them were young and home grown.

But the Moscow Polo Club won't be resting on their laurels. They'll be looking to make 2009 and even bigger event, which hopefully will see a number of new participants.

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