HISTORY OF POLO IN SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa, Pietermaritzburg · 1979-08-16

Official

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front

info card

Cachet: Polo ball.

Info card

HISTORY OF POLO IN SOUTH AFRICA A type of polo was played by the Persians and Chinese, possibly as far back as 600 BC, but the modern version of polo was introduced in 1862 by the Manipur tribe in India. In 1872 two infantry regiments of the British Army were sent from India to garrison the border towns of the Eastern Cape. They were the Gordon Highlanders and the Duke of Cornwall's Regiment. Although they were infantry regiments the officers were mounted and they brought with them the game of polo. A South African unit, the Cape Mounted Rifles, was stationed there at the time, and quite naturally these three units got together and staged the first recorded polo match in South African history in October 1875 on the parade ground at King William's Town. Other regiments came from India at the time of the Zulu War in 1879, and from then until the turn of the century polo became very popular in many parts of South Africa. By this time quite a number of civilian clubs had been formed, and polo went from strength to strength, so that we now have 35 registered clubs, four in East Griqualand, fourteen in Natal, eight in the Orange Free State, one in the Western Cape, one in the Eastern Cape, seven in the Transvaal, and one in Swaziland. These clubs have approximately 400 registered players in all. Not many international teams have visited us because horses cannot be moved freely throughout the world. However, South African teams visited Argentina in 1933 and 1950, Kenya in 1937 and 1959 and South America in 1973, apart from regular exchange visits with Rhodesia, as the problem with horses does not arise in these parts of the world. We had visits from the Argentine in 1951 and 1964, and the Hurlingham Rovers came over in 1965, but regular visits from overseas were not forthcoming until 1969 when a local cigarette company agreed to sponsor our international visits, which started with a team from Uruguay, followed by two different teams from the Argentine, teams from Peru, New Zealand, the USA and Colombia. A team from Australia and a team from England visited us during 1975. GESKIEDENIS VAN POLO IN SUID-AFRIKA Die Perse en Chinese het waarskynlik al in 600 v.C. 'n soort polo gespeel, maar die moderne weergawe van polo is in 1862 deur die Manipur-stam in Indië ingevoer. In 1872 is twee infanterieregimente van die Britse Leër van Indië as garnisoen na die grensdorpe in Oos-Kaapland gestuur. Hulle was die Gordon Highlanders en die Duke of Cornwall's Regiment. Hoewel hulle infanterieregimente was, het hulle berede offisiere gehad wat die polo- spel saamgebring het. 'n Suid-Afrikaanse eenheid, die Cape Mounted Rifles, was in dié tyd ook daar gestasioneer, en die drie eenhede het natuurlik saamgekom en die eerste polowedstryd wat in die Suid- Afrikaanse geskiedenis bekend is in Oktober 1875 op die paradeterrein van King William's Town gespeel. Ander regimente het gedurende die Zoeloe-oorlog in 1879 uit Indië gekom, en van dié tyd af tot aan die eeuwisseling het polo in baie dele van Suid-Afrika groot gewildheid verwerf. Teen dié tyd is heelwat burgerlike klubs gestig en polo het van krag tot krag gegaan sodat ons tans 35 geregistreerde klubs het, vier in Griekwaland-Oos, veertien in Natal, agt in die Oranje-Vrystaat, een in Wes-Kaapland, een in Oos- Kaapland, sewe in Transvaal en een in Swaziland. Hierdie klubs het altesaam sowat 400 geregistreerde spelers. Min internasionale spanne het ons tot dusver besoek omdat perde nie vryelik deur alle dele van die wêreld vervoer kan word nie. Suid- Afrikaanse spanne het egter in 1933 en 1950 in Argentinië, in 1937 en 1959 in Kenia en in 1973 weer in Suid-Amerika besoek afgelê benewens gereelde besoeke aan Rhodesië en andersom, aangesien die perdeprobleem nie in dié wêrelddele bestaan nie. Ons het in 1951 en 1964 van Argentinië en in 1965 van Hurlingham Rovers besoek ontvang, maar gereelde besoeke van oorsee het uitgebly tot 1969 toe 'n plaaslike sigaretmaatskappy ingestem het om ons inter- nasionale besoeke te borg. Die eerste van dié besoeke was dié van 'n span van Uruguay, gevolg deur twee verskillende spanne van Argentinië asook spanne van Peru, Nieu-Seeland, die VSA en Colombia. 'n Span van Australië en een van Engeland het ons gedurende 1975 besoek.

Additional information

This cover was postmarked on 16 August 1979 at Pietermaritzburg and catalogued as SAPO 2.17. Its cachet featured a polo ball, marking the sport's arrival in the country back in 1872, when British infantry officers stationed in the Eastern Cape brought their horses and mallets with them. The first recorded polo match on South African soil took place in October 1875 on the parade ground at King William's Town, and by the late 1970s the country counted 35 registered clubs and around 400 players nationwide.

Theme: Sport

Condition: AverageNoticeable wear or light damage, such as creases, minor soiling, small tears, or light discolouration, but still collectable.

Addressed: No

Signed: No

Stamp denomination: R0.15 (ZAR)

SG reference: 395

SAPO serial number: 2.17

Estimated value: ~US$0.1

This is a high-level, subjective estimate only, not a professional appraisal.