Who We Are

About Hyderabad Polo & Riding Club
Bringing laurels since 2005.

Hyderabad Polo & Riding Club (HPRC) was established in the year 2005 with a motto to promote Polo and other equestrian activities in the happening city of Hyderabad. Located two and half kilometres away from Exit #18 of the ORR in the calmness of Aziz Nagar, HPRC is private and exclusive Club that is spread over 10 acres, 8 km away from Hyderabad.

HPRC has lush lawns and is equipped with quality stables, a flood lit riding arena, flood lit arena polo field, etc. The club has over 50 well mannered and quality horses for hacks and polo, where you can immerse yourself in riding, with polo classes, competitive polo or just relax on a breathtaking cross-country ride on horseback along the trails on the banks of the Himayatsagar lake.

During its journey of the first decade HPRC has won laurels by winning several tournaments across the country; Royal Western Mumbai and the Indian Open championship to name a few. Besides participating in Polo Tournaments outside our state, HPRC also conducts National & International Polo events in Hyderabad year after year, in which teams from all over the world take part.

Besides Polo, HPRC also conducts and promotes Equestrian activities like Show Jumping, Dressage & Hacks ‎in different categories.

Man Riding

HPRC has world-class facilities such as

  • Reception Building
  • Club House
  • All Weather Riding Arena (Indoor)
  • International Standard Flood-lit Arena Polo Ground with Changing Rooms and Locker Facilities for Players
  • Shower Rooms with Steam facility
  • Snafles Bistro - AC Cafeteria
  • Chakkers Lounge - Bar & Restaurant
  • Outdoor Banquets Area
  • Air-conditioned Gym
  • Synthetic Tennis Courts
  • Basketball Court
  • Indoor Badminton Courts
  • Squash Courts
  • Futsal (for Cricket/Soccer)
  • Covered Swimming Pool
History Of Polo
  • The 1st recorded game of Polo took place in 600 BC, between the Turkomans and the Persians. The Turkomans won
  • In the 4th Century AD, young King Sapoor II of Persia learned to play the game and in the 16th Century AD a polo ground, 300 yards long and with goal posts. This was built in Isfahan, the capital city of Persia
  • The Moguls were largely responsible for taking the game from Persia to Egypt and Greece and eastwards to India
  • In the 1850s British tea planters re-discovered the game called Pulu or "wooden ball" in Manipur in India
  • They formed the first polo club and other clubs soon followed. The oldest in the world is the Calcutta Club, founded in 1862
  • Today, polo is played in 77 countries around the world and the sport is recognised by the International Olympic Committee
History Of Polo In Hyderabad
  • Hyderabad was one of the first Princely States of India to start Polo, the first Polo Season was played in Hyderabad in the year 1878
  • It all started with the Ameer of Paigah, Sir Vicar-ul-Umar Bahadur who after watching the game in England with Queen Victoria on his visit to England in 1877 was so fascinated that he built 5 grounds, ordered 50 Arab horses, hired the best trainers and held the first polo tournament was held in 1878!!
  • The Paigah team won tournaments in Hyderabad and the prestigious Bombay Presidency Open Championship. This encouraged the British Cavalry Regiments stationed in Hyderabad’s twin city of Secunderabad to start their own polo team and the rest as they say is History
  • Famous personalities like Lord Kitchener, Sir Winston-Churchill, The Duke of Windsor, then Prince of Wales and Earl Mountbatten have played polo in Hyderabad
  • Apart from the Army teams, H.H. the Nizam VI, the Ameer of Paigah, Nawab Salar Jung , Sir Afsar-ul-Mulk , Fakhrul Mulk and other nobles had polo establishments and soon Hyderabad became a major centre of the game, and in a short period of time from five polo grounds, Hyderabad had no less than seventeen polo grounds in the city!
  • No account on polo can be complete without a special mention of Col. Shah Mirza Baig, who was by far the best polo player Hyderabad has ever produced, and one of the best India has produced. At a very young age, he reached an international handicap of nine goals, and was considered one of the greatest polo players in the world
  • The Golconda Team won almost all the major tournaments in Hyderabad, Bombay, Bangalore and Madras. Since Hyderabad had around 17 polo grounds, polo was played every day and the game was very popular indeed
  • Famous grounds were the Fateh Maidan Polo Ground, the Falaknuma Palace and the Malakpet Race Course. Soon Hyderabad had become a major equestrian centre, besides the number of Polo grounds, it had more than four race courses
  • After World War II, Polo suffered a setback as the Cavalry Regiments were mechanised and the horses were replaced by Jeeps and Tanks
  • With the help of the government prominent lovers of the game formed the Andhra Pradesh Riding Club in 1956 to make sure that the equestrian sport as such doesn’t die out in Hyderabad
1877

On a visit to windor castle , Sir Vicar-ul-Umar Bahadur son of Nawab Khursheed Jan, having never seen a polo match before was extremely facinated and determined to bring the sport back to hyderabad for the first time.

1896

Winston Churchill with his Polo teams visit to Hyderabad for a Polo championship was astonished to find such great displays of sportsmanship for the game of polo by local Hyderabad players and commended the city’s enthusiasm for talent for equestrianism.

1949

With the progression of WW11 Hyderabad experienced a devastating set back with the redirection of the horses and utilisation of the polo ground for the war effort


1954

The popularity of Polo spread and many took part in events held at Hyderabad.

1974

AP riding club further revived the game in Hyderabad with extraordinary displays of talent and skill for the team thus establishing a reputation for the Hyderabad teams in the sport across the nation

1976

The establishment of Hyderabad Polo association formalised Hyderabad’s commitment to invest in the sport and its infrastructure the years to come.


2005

HPRC construction and development solidified the commitment for renewed talent in the game and providing restoring the former achievements of past polo teams and propel the youth of Hyderabad to develop world class riding abilities and etiquette

2014

HPRC has won many accolades for last couple of years including 2014 – Arena Polo Championship, 2013 – Mumbai Polo Season, 2012 – Indian Open Victory to note a few

2016

HPRC successfully hosted the inaugural National Show Jumping Championship in early 2016, with around 200 horses along with the country’s most prominent riders participated in the five categories for which competitions will be held. This triumph is a demonstration of HPRC testament to the sport and its development.