Commonwealth Polo Club share the spoils with Hyd’s HPRC in a 10–10 draw in Kentucky

The Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club (HPRC), playing as India, drew 10–10 with Commonwealth Polo Club, playing as the United States, in the final of the Kentucky leg of its 2026 international tour on Saturday night — an arena polo match under lights at Paris, Kentucky, that was neck and neck through four chukkers and still level when the final bell of overtime rang.

Chaitania Kumar, president of HPRC, and Arsalan Khan scored four goals each for India, and Saif Attari added two. Neither side led by more than a goal or two at any stage; every time one team went ahead the other pulled level, and an extra period of overtime could not separate them. The scores stood at 10–10 when the bell went, and both teams were content to leave it there.

India was represented by Chaitania Kumar, Arsalan Khan and Saif Attari, three a side in the arena, on horses provided by the host club. The match was played at Commonwealth Polo Club’s arena at Paris, in the heart of Kentucky’s thoroughbred country, twenty minutes from Lexington, with the national flags of both countries carried into the arena before the first chukker.

“That was as hard a game of arena polo as any of us have played,” said Chaitania Kumar. “It was neck and neck the whole way, through four chukkers and into overtime, and at the last bell the scoreboard said 10–10. Nobody deserved to lose it. Commonwealth gave us their horses, their arena and a very good side, and then fed us all at the barbecue afterwards. That is polo, and that is Kentucky.”

A week in horse country

The Kentucky leg opened with practice chukkers at Commonwealth on Wednesday and Thursday, with the team riding the host club’s horses for the first time. Thursday morning was spent at Gainesway Farm on the Paris Pike, home of the champion stallion Tapit, and on Friday the team and their hosts spent opening day of the Keeneland Fall Meet together before stick-and-ball practice on Commonwealth’s grass field. The final was followed by a barbecue at the club for the players, families and guests of both sides.

Kentucky was the second stop of HPRC’s 2026 international tour, following the club’s earlier tours as ambassadors of Indian polo to Hawaii and San Diego. A week earlier in Madrid, India had lost the Clubs Cup 4–3 to Madrid Polo Club, playing as Spain, to a goal in the closing minutes. The tour’s record now reads one narrow defeat on grass in Spain and an overtime draw in the arena in the United States — both against established clubs, on their own grounds and their own horses.

The tour is part of HPRC’s effort to put Hyderabad on the map for polo tourism. The club already hosts the Indian Polo Team’s international fixtures in Hyderabad, and both Madrid Polo Club and Commonwealth Polo Club have been invited to bring teams to Hyderabad for return fixtures.

“Our thanks to Jorge Vasquez and everyone at Commonwealth Polo Club for a week we will not forget — the horses, the arena, Keeneland, and the welcome,” Kumar said. “We look forward to hosting them at HPRC.”

The Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club, established in 2005, is a multi-discipline equestrian, polo, hospitality and sports facility at Aziznagar, Moinabad, on the outskirts of Hyderabad. It is the only polo club in Telangana and hosts the Indian Polo Team’s international matches in Hyderabad. HPRC’s 2026 international tour has taken the club to Madrid Polo Club, Spain, and Commonwealth Polo Club, Lexington, Kentucky.

Result: Commonwealth Polo Club 10 drew HPRC 10 (Chaitania Kumar 4, Arsalan Khan 4, Saif Attari 2).