In the spring of 1876, James Gordon Bennett, the publisher of the New York Herald, hosted a special dinner party at his New York estate.  His carefully selected guests were a dozen gentlemen who were members of the sporting set most likely to be attracted to the “new” game of polo.

A railcar loaded with Texas ranch horses was delivered by the meal’s end, whereupon the gentlemen tried their hands at polo.  Immediately addicted, they embraced the sport and made it a part of their annual summer retreat in Newport, Rhode Island that summer.

The gentlemen, who predominantly hailed from Westchester County, NY, formed a club, and proceeded to establish playing fields for practices, near their summer ‘cottages’ on Bellevue Avenue.  The Westchester Polo Club, based in Newport, became the first polo club in the United States.  The game caught the imagination of the buccaneering class of the Gilded Age in America, and during the following years, other clubs were founded up and down the East Coast. 

← Early tailgaters in horse-drawn carriages.  

Ten years after the club's founding, Bennett and the Westchester Polo Club challenged those same English army officers who introduced him to the sport, to compete in the world's first international polo match.  This event became one of the first international sporting events in modern history, predating the resurrection of the Olympic games.  The historic tournament in 1886, known as the Westchester Cup, was held at Newport, and the worldwide spotlight earned the City by the Sea            a reputation as a destination for international polo and recreation.  Newport maintained its esteem as the international polo capital of the world for nearly 40 years, until the outbreak of WWI, the Great Depression and the income tax all took their toll and ended the era of opulence and international polo in Newport.  

←  The Westchester Cup's coveted prize and prestige have become a part of polo legend in 14 historic contests over a span of 116 years, some fought on our turf and some in England.  2009 marks the 100th anniversary of America's first victory in this classic tournament, and a rematch is scheduled this year!  MORE INFO

 In 1992, James Gordon Bennett's legacy was resurrected. The Newport International Polo Series is much larger in scale than Bennett's original conception but remains within the same grand tradition. Each season the Newport International Polo Series attracts teams from the world's six continents. Notables such as actress Stefanie Powers and Major Ronald Ferguson, father of the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, have graced our field. The Polo Series features top-level amateur payers from around the world.  USA's squad has included two world champions, John Wigdahl and Charlie Bostwick, members of the only US team to win the World Championships (1989).  Visitors have included Francisco Lanusse, world champion Argentine player, Patrick Guerrand-Hermes, current FIP president and his son Mattias, European champion, the families Domeqc and Mora from Soto Grande, and many other noteworthy players of world championship caliber.  The Newport International Polo Series is the only forum in the world dedicated primarily to international polo competition.

The Newport Polo Club remains registered with the United States Polo Association under the historic Westchester name.  Its outdoor polo season and public exhibition matches take place at Glen Farm, a site whose heritage dates back over 370 years!