The 2024 Paris Games Polo Challenge presented by U.S. Polo Assn. will be hosted by the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly in Apremont, France. The commemorative event, taking place just 40 minutes from the heart of Paris, will serve as a centennial celebration honoring the opening match of the 4th Olympic Polo Tournament at the 1924 Paris Games between the United States and France.
Reflecting on the 100th anniversary of the Paris 1924 Olympic Games, the United States defeated France 15-1 to open the 4th Olympic Polo Tournament on record. The United States would go on to win a Silver medal, ultimately losing to Argentina 6-5 in the final on July 6, 1924. The American team consisted of Elmer Boeseke, Tommy Hitchcock, Frederick Roe and Rodman Wanamaker. Polo remained in the Olympic Games until 1936 in Berlin, however both the United States and France did not send a team to Berlin.
The historic clash will broadcast globally Sunday, August 11 on ESPN2 at 7:30am EST and ESPN News at 10:00am EST and Saturday, August 17 on ESPN2 at 10:00am ET.
The Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly is located in Apremont, France, an ideal area for polo fields and grazing. In 1995, the land of the Apremont Farm became available for purchase. A group of friends who dreamed of opening a large area devoted to polo in France obtained a 50-year lease from the Institute of France to create what is now the Chantilly Polo Club.
Since 1996, the club has undergone steady growth, the land quickly outgrowing its horse capacity. Neighboring farmers joined in the club's economic development. Over the years, the sporting standards have risen, attracting elite competitions and enabling the club to contribute to the progress and development of French polo.
Under Philippe Perrier’s direction from the start, the Chantilly Polo Club has blossomed into a hub of leisure, training, competition and welcome exchanges between clubs—an inviting place cherished by polo enthusiasts. Today, it stands as France’s largest polo school and one of Europe’s largest polo clubs, hosting numerous international competitions. The French team regularly trains at the Apremont farm, further solidifying its stature in the sport.
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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