7 months ago
Ahmedabad Polo Tournament Revives Gujarat's Equestrian Legacy
The first Ahmedabad Polo Tournament happened in January 2026 at the Gujarat Polo Club.
It used a special kind of polo called Arena Polo, which is faster and more exciting.
The final match between Pune Warriors and Mayfair Polo ended in a thrilling golden chukker, with Pune Warriors winning 8-7.
The tournament is important because it helps bring back the sport of polo in Gujarat, which used to be big there a long time ago.
People like Jayvirsinh Gohil and Anay Shah are working hard to make polo popular again in the state.
The Arena Polo format makes the game easier to watch and play, which helps attract more people to the sport.
The success of this tournament means there will likely be more events like this in the future.
The inaugural Ahmedabad Polo Tournament ended with Pune Warriors defeating Mayfair Polo 8-7 in a golden chukker.
The tournament used the Arena Polo format, which is faster and more engaging than traditional field polo.
Jayvirsinh Gohil, a key figure in the revival of polo in Gujarat, has been working for 15 years to bring the sport back to the state.
The Arena Polo format is seen as a blueprint for expanding polo across India due to its lower cost and smaller space requirements.
The tournament aims to revive Gujarat's equestrian heritage and make polo more accessible to a wider audience.
- Who
- Pune Warriors and Mayfair Polo teams, Gujarat Polo Club, Jayvirsinh Gohil, Anay Shah, Dino Dhankhar
- What
- Inaugural Ahmedabad Polo Tournament using Arena Polo format
- Where
- Gujarat Polo Club, Ahmedabad
- When
- January 4, 2026
- Why
- To revive Gujarat's equestrian heritage and make polo more accessible and engaging
Key facts
- Event
- Inaugural Ahmedabad Polo Tournament
- Date
- January 4, 2026
- Location
- Gujarat Polo Club, Ahmedabad
- Finalists
- Pune Warriors vs. Mayfair Polo
- Winner
- Pune Warriors
- Format
- Arena Polo
- Key Figures
- Jayvirsinh Gohil, Anay Shah, Dino Dhankhar
- Significance
- Reviving Gujarat's equestrian heritage
Quotes
Jayvirsinh Gohil
Founder member of the Gujarat Polo Foundation and president of the Gohilwad Polo Club
“The state of Gujarat — basically Bhavnagar, Saurashtra, and Gujarat — there was polo before when there was a princely state. And I noticed that there is no polo player here other than me.”
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“Every year, we do one or two such tournaments for a week or two, so that players from all over India and Gujarat can play here and people can connect with the sport as much as possible.”
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Anay Shah
Youngest patron-player in India and founder of Mayfair Polo
“I hope Gujarat once again becomes a leading part of Polo in India like it was decades ago.”
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“Gujarat had some good teams for Polo around the world. The tournament aligns with Mayfair Polo’s vision and values of promoting polo in India since polo is India’s gift to the world and it’s a heritage sport.”
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Dino Dhankhar
International polo player with a +1 handicap and representative of Mayfair Polo
“This first edition of this Arena Polo Tournament has been very well organised.”
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“I feel this segment of sport is something that attracts more audience and gives more thrill to people and can get more people into the sport.”
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