Every blade of grass glowed like straws of golden wheat—on a sunny day in Santa Barbara, the polo fields illuminated like green oceans on a bay of smiling onlookers. A ray of sunshine, Montecito moms and Kentucky Derby outfits filled the stands to experience Santa Barbara’s polo finale. As blue skies filled out a wonderful landscape, I finally understood what the polo hype was all about.

Unlike Hugh Grant in Notting Hill, I don’t pretend to know the first thing about horses or hounds. I don’t know how the scoring system goes, how the polo players align or how the strategy evolves throughout a match, but I do know there are few events as atmospheric as professional Polo. I was greeted with a smile by the events coordinator, who walked me past the white-picket buildings and perfectly manicured grounds to my seat, where women dressed like Hunger Games judges in their flamboyant neon dresses. Men wore suits to match their white pants; colourful smiles to match their wives’ vivid outfits. The polo hadn’t even started, and I was already invigorated.

Long considered an old money game, there are certainly enough “rich laughs” to go around. It wouldn’t be a polo match without a glass of champagne and a bougie chuckle. That being said, the CEO of Us Polo Assn. has made gallops in turning this haughty-taughty event into a nationally recognised sport. Now broadcast on ESPN, this ancient game is finally recognised for what it is: a riveting, rollicking battleground.

I was shocked to find how electrifying polo is. Imagine trying to play hockey on horses on a field the size of a forest. In between sips of wine, my head darted back and forth as horses galloped at the speed of light, chasing a ball rolling at the speed of a bullet. It’s no wonder Michael Prince (CEO) saw the potential when leaving Nike for Us Polo Assn, which owns the polo field in Palm Beach and pours the income of his clothing line back into the sport, making it possible for people like us to enjoy such a niche yet entertaining game.

I was fortunate enough to watch the Polo Finale in Santa Barbara, but there are over 300 affiliated polo clubs across the world where you can watch high-level games. The sport is easily the fastest-growing, with Us Polo Assn. raking in 2.3 billion every year. If you haven’t considered checking out Polo, now’s the perfect moment—you can throw on a summery Us Polo Asssn. shirt, horse around, get bougie with it, and watch an electrifying game take place under the cool shade of luxury.

Somehow classier and more accessible than ever, Polo has taken stride with the new Old Money trend on Instagram, where people dress in their Sunday best for aesthetic pics in aesthetic places, which is perfectly tailored to US Polo Assn’s. brand and sport. There are few spaces that scream luxury like Santa Barbara polo fields. The grass is greener in Santa Barbara—at these polo fields, the sun shines brighter, the ocean breeze cools off designer clothes, and the local wines are perhaps even richer than the clientele, all of whom stood cheering for a national anthem that saw a white mustang darting across white-picket stands, carrying a beautiful blonde girl waving a red, white and blue flag. It’s a truly unique experience: Polo, an old horse that continues to learn new tricks as the brand continues to grow and the vibe remains an old-money aesthetic.

Photo credit to Luca St George

Written by Asher Luberto for Luxuria Lifestyle International