Род-Айленд сохранил наследие родины американского поло, где с 1876 года проходит международный турнир

How Rhode Island became the birthplace of American Polo (WJAR) — Before baseball became America's pastime, another sport was making its mark in Rhode Island. Nearly 150 years ago, polo arrived in Newport, bringing with it a new sport, wealthy summer crowds and an international tradition that continues today. “Polo was first played in the United States in Newport,” said Dan Keating, founder and president of Newport Polo. Newport is recognized as the birthplace of organized polo in the United States. In 1876, the Westchester Polo Club was established by sportsmen from Westchester County, New York, who made Newport their summer headquarters and playing grounds. The club is recognized as America's first polo club. The sport quickly became part of Newport's Gilded Age social scene. The city's summer elite embraced polo alongside sailing, tennis, golf, and other sports. The original polo grounds were located near Bellevue Avenue, where spectators gathered to watch the new sport take hold. Newport also became the site of the Westchester Cup, an international polo competition between the United States and England that helped establish the city as an important destination for the sport. Newport remained a center of international polo for decades before World War I, the Great Depression and changing economic conditions brought an end to the city's Gilded Age polo era. But the tradition didn't disappear. From Newport to Portsmouth Today, the sport's Rhode Island roots can be found just north of Newport in Portsmouth at historic Glen Farm. “This is actually the grounds of another family, the Taylor Family,” Keating said, describing the history of Glen Farm and its connection to Newport's summer community. The property dates back to the 1600s, but in the late 1800s, New York industrialist Henry A.C. Taylor began assembling the property into a sprawling country estate. At its height, Glen Farm encompassed about 1,500 acres and became one of Newport County's most prominent properties. The Town of Portsmouth eventually acquired Glen Farm. In 1990, Dan Keating signed a lease with the town and began restoring the deteriorating property, with the goal of reviving the international polo tradition in its American birthplace. Today, the polo field at Glen Farm is home to the Newport International Polo Series. The series has been held since 1992, bringing teams from around the world and major U.S. cities to Portsmouth to compete against USA/Newport. Matches are held throughout the summer and draw spectators to the historic grounds. A sport that hasn't changed much While the setting and equipment have evolved, Keating says the fundamentals of polo remain remarkably similar to the game played in Newport in the 19th century. “We’re still riding the same horses in the same gear and saddles,” he said. “With the exception of a plastic ball replacing a wooden ball, and safety helmets replacing a knit hat, really it’s the same sport.” And for the people who play it, the horses are at the heart of the experience. “We come to polo because we love horses,” Keating said. “We love the care, preparation and the connection that we have with horses.” That passion has been passed down through Keating's family. His daughter, Minnie Keating, is the director of equine management at Newport Polo. She grew up around the horses and now helps introduce young people to the sport. “I kind of grew up on the back of a horse,” she said. “Even when I was an infant, my dad was picking me up and bringing me around with him everywhere.” For Minnie, there's something special about combining horses with a team sport. “There’s just, you know, something about horses that makes playing a sport with them, especially a team sport, just magical,” she said. Polo as an international tradition The Newport International Polo Series has also transformed Glen Farm into a meeting place for players and spectators from around the world. Newport Polo says teams from all six continents have participated in the series over the years. “We’ve had teams from every continent,” Keating said. “The unique thing that binds us all is the passion for horses.” That international connection is part of what makes the sport so important to Keating. “It’s kind of living history,” he said. And while polo may have started in Newport in 1876, its Rhode Island story is still being written every summer in Portsmouth. At Glen Farm, spectators can watch the competition, meet the horses and even take part in the traditional halftime divot stomp — helping repair the turf kicked up by the horses during the first half of the match. The Newport Polo Club remains registered with the United States Polo Association under the historic Westchester name, keeping a direct link to the club founded in 1876.