 Trophy for the event in 1920 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Sport | Polo |
| Established | 27 November 1878 |
| Venue | Guards Polo Club, Windsor |
| Participants | Cambridge University Polo Club (CUPC) and Oxford University Polo Club (OUPC) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Largest margin of victory | Oxford, 19 – 0 (2016) |
| Current sponsor | La Martina |
| Trophy | The Challenge Cu presented by the Hurlingham Club in 1920 |
| Current champion | |
| Oxford | |
The Varsity Polo Match is an annual polo match between the Oxford University Polo Club and the Cambridge University Polo Club, played between teams of four players. Historically it was known as the inter-University Challenge Cup or inter-Varsity polo match.[1][2] It is also known as the University Polo Match or by a title that includes the name of its current sponsor (1982 Champagne Taittinger University matches; 1984 Krug Champagne Varsity Polo;[3] from 2007[4] to 2014, the Jack Wills Varsity Polo,[5][6] and from 2016 onwards the La Martina Varsity[7]). Members of both teams are traditionally known as Blues, with Oxford in dark blue and Cambridge in light blue.
The polo match is held annually, attracting normally around 500 up to 5000 spectators due to royal participants.[8][9] It usually takes place at the beginning of June at Guards Polo Club. The Varsity Match was most recently contested in June 2024, and was won by Oxford by a margin of 5-3. As of 2024 Oxford has won the match 68 times and Cambridge 57 times.[10]
- ^ Sporting Notes. In: Nottingham Evening Post, Tuesday 27 June 1905
- ^ The Times. 12 June 1965, Woolmers Park p.1
- ^ Horse and Hound, June 18, 1982.
- ^ "Hijacking Our Heritage, The Tab".
- ^ "Guards Polo Club". Retrieved 12 August 2013.
- ^ "Oxford Sports Federation".
- ^ "Atlantic Polo". www.atlanticpolo.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2014.
- ^ The Inter-University Match. In: The Times. 11 July 1938, p.4.
- ^ Oxford Victory. In: Horse and Hounds. 12 June 1970
- ^ "La Martina Varsity Day 2022". Instagram Guards.