Real Club de Polo

The Real Club de Polo de Barcelona (Barcelona Royal Polo Club) was the venue for equestrian events: jumping, dressage, the eventing final and the riding component of the modern pentathlon. The Organising Committee for the Barcelona’92 Olympic Games (COOB’92) fully funded the essential facility remodelling works that were carried out in line with the project commissioned to the architect Alfonso Navarro. All infrastructure elements that did not meet the requirements of the Fédération Equestre Internationale were demolished, thus allowing the number of horse boxes to be increased to a total of 264 in six covered units, where there was also room for a food and bedding store. Also built were service buildings for the grooms, administrative offices, a service riding facility and a first-aid veterinary clinic; the main clinic was located in the veterinary complex of the Autonomous University of Barcelona for exclusive use by COOB’92 during the Olympic Games. In addition, the stands were temporarily enlarged in the main arena to accommodate 9,600 spectators.

The Real Club de Polo de Barcelona was founded in 1897 and, in early 2012, had more than 10,000 members and 29 hectares of land, where, besides the horse riding arenas, there are three field hockey pitches, around 40 tennis courts, two outdoor swimming pools and two multi-purpose sports courts.