Horse-Ball History

The Origins

right to left: Les maréchaux des logis LEURAT, CLAUDE, DECRET et LAUBEAU - Crédit photo Maréchal des logis LAUBEAU
Evidence of this game has been found as far back as 1936. Captain CLAVE had given the name Horse Ball, after modifying some of the rules of Pato (among them being the size of the ball), the changes for him being important enough to justify changing the name.

 

The History

 

Horse Ball is a direct heir to PATO (national sport of Argentina, played on horseback).

 

This being the reason that the first Horse Ball trials were played using a Pato ball, Pato goals, Pato priority rules, and the same pick-up technique (in the early years the stirrups were not joined together with a strap!).

 

We now know thanks to some old evidence that the arrival of Pato in France dates back to Captain CLAVE, champion show-jumper in the 1930s.

 

The matches took place during Horse Shows and were played between different military regiments. The war started and Horse Ball disappeared, being practised only by a few riding instructors in their clubs as exercises for improving the ‘seat’.

 

Pato came to life again not long after the war, being presented regularly in its Argentinean form, by celebrity stuntman Mario LURASHI.

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Testimonial

When Horse-Ball for the first time was introduced to the Swedish audience at Stockholm International horse Show 2006 it was a roaring success. The TV commentators said that it was the most fantastic development that the equestrian sport has ever seen, much more exciting that they could ever anticipate. In the thorough public survey among our spectators, that is done every year, it was top ranked. A Champions League Final in Stockholm in the fantastic Globe Arena would be embraced with the greatest interest by media and spectators alike.

Ulf Rosengren
President
Stockholm International Horse Show