The Cambridge University Polo Club (often referred to as CUPC) is the Discretionary Full Blue sports club for competitive

polo Polo is a stick and ball game that is played on horseback as a traditional field sport. It is one of the world's oldest known team sports, having been adopted in the Western world from the game of Chovgan (), which originated in ancient ...

at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

. Founded in 1873, it is the second oldest surviving polo club in Europe and the third oldest in the world. Its annual Varsity Match against

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, established in 1878, is the second oldest continuing polo fixture in the western world.

History

The club was founded in 1873 by John Fitzwilliam. Originally, the colours of the club were maroon and yellow and, after some discussions and the sanction of the Cambridge University Boat Club, the following rule was passed : "That the Polo Five be allowed to wear a light blue polo shirt, white forage cap, and belt". The first inter-university match was held on the Bullingdon Cricket Ground in Cowley, on 27 November 1878. In 1879 the University players felt strong enough to enter a team in the Hurlingham Club's Champion Open Cup, the premier competition of the time. Although they were quickly defeated, the experience served them well and they returned later that year to defeat Oxford in the first Varsity Match.

Varsity match

The match format is extremely uncommon as it is traditionally not

handicapped Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, ...

. Teams are also mixed, which is a rare opportunity amongst the Cambridge University Blues sports. The original conditions are as follows: "No player eligible who has been a member of his University for more than four years, or who has not been in residence during the term in which the match takes place. Instituted in 1878. Played generally at Hurlingham, in June."Modern Polo, by E.D. Miller, London: Thacker and Co. 1896 p. 399. Currently, polo is a Discretionary Full Blue sport at Cambridge. Oxford and Cambridge take it in turns to host the B-Team and C-Team varsity event on a separate weekend during Lent Term, with the Old Blues match serving as the traditional curtain raiser for Varsity Day. The match is a well-established fixture in the British sporting calendar and is now held at

Guards Polo Club The Guards Polo Club is an English polo club in Windsor, Berkshire. It is closely associated with the British royal family. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was president of the club from its formation on 25 January 1955 until Death and funeral ...

Notable players

Walter Buckmaster Walter Selby Buckmaster (16 October 1872 – 30 October 1942) was a British polo player in the 1900 Summer Olympics and in the 1908 Summer Olympics. Biography He was born on 16 October 1872 in Wimbledon, Surrey, the son of Thomas Walter ...

(1872–1942) * Frederick Freake (1876–1950) * John Wodehouse, 3rd Earl of Kimberley (1883–1941) *

Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (Henry William Frederick Albert; 31 March 1900 – 10 June 1974) was a member of the British royal family. He was the third son of King George V and Mary of Teck, Queen Mary, and was a younger brother of kings E ...

(1900–1970) *

Charles, Prince of Wales Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, a ...

(b. 1948) * Stephen Sanford (1898–1977) * Charles Darley Miller (1868–1951) * Sir Max Bemrose (1904–1986) * Vivian Lockett (1880–1962) * Luke Tomlinson (b. 1977) * Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl of Burma (1900–1979)

References

External links

* {{Official website Polo Club

Polo Polo is a stick and ball game that is played on horseback as a traditional field sport. It is one of the world's oldest known team sports, having been adopted in the Western world from the game of Chovgan (), which originated in ancient ...

Polo clubs in the United Kingdom