Having played polo in more than 30 countries – and counting – Philipp Müller, founder and patron of Standing Rock Polo Team, is exploring new cultures and forming meaningful connections in polo communities globally
Winston Churchill famously said a polo handicap is a passport to the world. And indeed, one of the most alluring things about polo is the opportunity to travel and to share the passion for polo with like-minded people worldwide.
Philipp Müller, founder and patron of Standing Rock Polo Team, has made it his mission to travel to as many countries as possible to play polo, and he officially embarked on the Standing Rock World Tour last year in 2025. The aim of the World Tour is to share Standing Rock’s value-focused initiatives and promote a positive message through polo, exploring new countries and cultures, while also sharing knowledge and forming meaningful connections in polo communities globally.
Philipp has visited more than 30 countries to play polo so far – and counting – from established polo destinations, to more adventurous, lesser-known locations. At the start of 2025, he took part in the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo in Saudi Arabia, before heading to play in the Australia high-goal series, visiting Ellerston, Windsor and Garangula Polo Clubs.
The first official stop on the World Tour was in July 2025 to play a friendly game at Phoenix Park in Dublin – the location of the oldest polo clubhouse in Europe dating back to 1873. Then, along with the Standing Rock team, Philipp travelled to Sylt in Germany, where Standing Rock became champions of the 2025 Berenberg Polo Masters.
Other locations Philipp has played at in Germany are Hamburg and Berlin, where the team competed in the iconic Maifeld polo field, at the Berlin Olympic Stadium in August 2025. Elsewhere in Europe, Philipp has played friendly matches at Krenkerup Polo in Denmark, Stockholm Polo Club and in Amsterdam city centre, winning the Museumplein Polo Tournament.
Towards the end of last year, the Standing Rock World Tour went further afield, including spending an unforgettable weekend at La Palmeraie Polo Club in Morocco owned by the Hermes Family, before finishing off the year playing with British Polo Day in Abu Dhabi and Jaipur.
To kick off 2026, Standing Rock Polo Team became the first team in history to win both prestigious snow polo tournaments in Kitzbühel, Austria, and St. Moritz, Switzerland in the same year. Then, in New Zealand in February 2026, Philipp’s son, Pierandrea, claimed the NZ Polo Open Title at Auckland Polo Club.
Philipp’s next stop on the World Tour was Asia, where he played at Singapore Polo Club before visiting Thailand to play at Thai Polo & Equestrian Club, King Power’s grounds, and Polo Escape. From Thailand he headed to Kuala Lumpur Polo Club in Malaysia, before a very special trip to Brunei, where he played twice with HRH Princess Azemah Ni’matul Bolkiah and HRH Prince Bahar ibni Jefri Bolkiah, against another team led by HRH Prince Jefri Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The last destination in Asia was Manila in the Philippines, where Manila Polo Club organised the Standing Rock Challenge Cup tournament.
March 2026 saw Philipp travel to South America, where he won the Abraham Aparicio 12-Goal Cup at Bogotá Polo Club, Colombia, before visiting La Palma Polo Club in Quito, Ecuador, playing polo against the backdrop of Pichincha Volcano. Continuing the tour of South America, he played a 12-goal test match in Lima, Peru, at the polo club located next to the archeological Pachacámac site dating back to around A.D. 200.
At the start of June, he played at Toronto Polo Club in Canada, and visited the spectacular Niagara Falls.
Following a successful season in the UK, Philipp is currently playing in Sotogrande before more exciting trips before the end of the year. Keep an eye on the Standing Rock instagram @standingrock.poloteam for the latest updates on where the team is playing next!