The Club: History

Ayala Polo Club was founded in the sixties, when Sotogrande morphed into a polo destination. This elite urbanisation project, strategically located on the Andalusian coast, was founded in 1964 by American businessman Joseph McMicking, President of the Ayala Corporation, whose vision transformed the Paniagua property into an urban project with unique style.

In 1964, his nephew, Enrique Zóbel, built Sotogrande’s first polo ground, known as the ‘Beach’ field, located in front of what is today Sotogrande’s Real Golf Club. In 1967, Sotogrande hosts its first polo tournament, which saw four teams compete.

Ayala Polo Club

Iñigo Zóbel, after the formation of Ayala Polo Club, finalises the project that his father, Enrique, started over forty years ago. From February 2006 up to the present day, Ayala’s installations have improved greatly.
The club now boasts three professional polo fields, and continues to grow thanks to the dedication of its president, whose mission it is to make Ayala one of the best polo clubs in the world.

The club offers a modern infrastructure for horses, and every service necessary for both polo and equestrian disciplines to thrive throughout the year. The club’s team is highly qualified and capable of offering the best assistance and guidance.

Sotogrande

Sotogrande is located in the south of Spain, on the provincial border of Cadiz and Malaga, camouflaged by the landscape that flanks the N-340. It lies facing Morocco and Gibraltar, with the Mediterranean stretched out ahead, making Sotogrande one of the most exclusive spots in Europe. A place where luxury and glamour merge with natural beauty. However, only one word ultimately describes Sotogrande: polo.

Sotogrande offers an array of activities — sailing, golf, nightlight, beach clubs, polo—and the hotels have made it one of the main luxury residential zones of Andalucia, Spain, and Europe as a whole.

Services & Activities

  • 3 professional polo fields.
  • 3 exercise tracks.
  • 1 roofed riding school.
  • 3 groups of private stables apt to host a high goal team and meet the needs of the whole organisation.
  • 400 boxes with their respective tack rooms and hay sheds.
  • Daily polo practices.
  • Low, medium, and high goal tournaments.
  • Polo lessons.