HPRC flies flag for India in Madrid; Spain win the Clubs Cup 4-3 in the final minute

The Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club (HPRC) went down 3-4 to Madrid Polo Club in the Clubs Cup at San Fernando de Henares on Sunday. The match was decided by a goal in the closing minutes of the final chukker, at the end of a weekend that both clubs described as polo at its best.

Chaitania Kumar, president of HPRC, opened the scoring for India, and Arsalan Khan added two goals to take the visitors to three. With the scores level, India played a disciplined defensive game and held the home side out until the last minutes of the final chukker, when Madrid Polo Club converted the fourth goal that settled the Cup.

India was represented by Akash Reddy, Arsalan Khan, Saif Attari and Chaitania Kumar. Madrid Polo Club fielded Mateo, Ivan Davila, Manuel Segimon and Paul. The match was played on Madrid Polo Club’s ground at San Fernando de Henares, with the horses, three for each visiting player, provided by the host club.

“It was an amazing game, and it showed the true essence of polo,” said Chaitania Kumar. “We scored first, we defended well, and we lost to a goal in the last minutes to a very good side on their own horses. Nobody on either team will forget it. More than the result, this weekend was about the friendship between Spain and India, and between our two clubs — and about taking Hyderabad’s polo out into the world.”

The weekend opened on Saturday with the Friendship Cup, played in mixed teams with two HPRC players and two Madrid members on each side. The White team of MGV, Ivan Davila, Chaitania Kumar and Arsalan Khan beat the Blue team of Akash Reddy, Saif Attari, Mateo and Nacho 4–3. The two clubs then sat down together for the teams dinner, hosted by Madrid Polo Club.

HPRC’s first stop was Spain

The Madrid leg is the first stop of HPRC’s 2026 international tour, the first time a club side from Hyderabad has toured abroad. The team travelled to Madrid on September 23 and trained at the club before the weekend’s matches. From Madrid, the tour continues to the United States, where HPRC will play Commonwealth Polo Club in Lexington, Kentucky — the horse capital of the world.

The tour is also part of HPRC’s effort to put Hyderabad on the map for polo tourism. The club is already the Hyderabad home of the Indian Polo Team’s international fixtures, and the visits to Madrid and Lexington are intended to open the door to return tours — bringing Spanish and American teams, and their supporters, to play in Hyderabad.

“Madrid Polo Club opened their club, their horses and their city to us,” Kumar said. “Our thanks to the whole club, and to Ivan, Mario and Lorenzo in particular, for an amazing time and truly fabulous hospitality. We look forward to welcoming them to Hyderabad.”

Results: Friendship Cup (mixed teams): White 4 (MGV, Ivan Davila, Chaitania Kumar, Arsalan Khan) beat Blue 3 (Akash Reddy, Saif Attari, Mateo, Nacho).

Clubs Cup: Spain (Madrid Polo Club) 4 beat India (HPRC) 3.