150 years ago, David Shennan perfectly embodied the tireless enthusiast —the driving force who, with passion and commitment, managed to bring his ideals to life, spreading that same energy to those around him. For these reasons —and others we will explore below— he is regarded as the true pioneer of polo in Argentina.

It was on his estate, Negrette, located in Ranchos (today part of General Paz, Buenos Aires), where the first polo matches recorded by the press were played. Although the sport had already been practiced on fields in Caballito, near what is now Ferro Carril Oeste Club, the contests at Negrette were the first to gain enough significance to be mentioned in the newspapers.

These matches mark the formal beginning of Argentine polo history. The first took place on August 30, 1875, when Shennan invited a small group of players from Buenos Aires to his estate for a game.

The match featured two teams: City and Country. Within minutes, the Country team scored three goals. Their superiority was evident, as several members of the City team were unfamiliar with the rules of the game. Shennan and his fellow countryman, R. King, stood out notably, supported by a solid team. Since handicaps were not yet applied, to balance the match, the City team was allowed one extra player.

For all these reasons, it is said that on Saturday, August 30, 2025, the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Best Polo in the World will be celebrated.