Founder and patron of Standing Rock Polo Team, Philipp Müller, is the driving force behind the organisation, and his value-focused initiatives rooted in a respect for the culture and beliefs of Native American tribes, are bringing a refreshing buzz and energy to polo around the world.
From advocating the highest standards of horse welfare and care on and off the field, to celebrating sportsmanship by introducing the Standing Rock Fair Play Award to polo’s leading governing bodies internationally, and championing charity with the launch of the philanthropic Standing Rock Foundation, everything Standing Rock does is guided by the Seven Lakota Values – enduring principles of generosity, respect, kinship, compassion, fortitude, wisdom and spirituality.
Standing Rock adopted these values and translated them into five key principles that are at the heart of the team’s DNA – iconic, honourable, unbridled, proficient and vibrant.
Indeed, the team is named after the Standing Rock Reservation, home of the Sioux Tribe straddling the border between North and South Dakota and is where legendary leader Sitting Bull – a symbol of dignity and resistance – was tragically shot.
The bold orange feather logo also represents the team’s proud respect for indigenous culture.
So where does Standing Rock’s affinity with the Native Americans begin and how is it influencing the polo world for the better?
Captivated by the story, bravery and then fate of the Native Americans from a young age, it all started when Philipp’s godfather – a famous Swiss writer – gave him a book about Buffalo Bill.
Having been fascinated by the Wild West since childhood, Philipp visited Native American Reservations in South Dakota at the end of 2024 to see how indigenous communities live today and to learn more about their history and values.
He describes meeting real Native Americans – including the Great Grandson of Sitting Bull – descendants of the famous warriors and ancestors of people he had read so much about as an unforgettable experience. “It was like ‘touching history’, and was quite emotional,” he said.
Seeing the contrast between the historical suffering and enduring spirit of these communities first-hand highlighted a need for action and solidarity.
Therefore, Philipp decided to collate all his existing charitable activities into one entity, creating the philanthropic Standing Rock Foundation, inspired by the beliefs of Native American communities, to support carefully-selected initiatives that reflect Standing Rock’s core values and mission.
With Philipp’s unparalleled ability to entertain and bring the polo world together in aid of a good cause, the launch event for the Standing Rock Foundation became THE event of the summer, which everyone was – and still is – talking about.
Held at the end of June, during the peak of the UK summer polo season, Standing Rock hosted the spectacular event at the prestigious Guards Polo Club, uniting the sport of polo with Native American heritage and values, which was nothing quite like the club, or the polo community, had ever seen before.
Native American performers from South Dakota, USA, dressed in magnificent regalia, greeted guests before showcasing a mesmerising performance of indigenous music, singing, dancing and storytelling, which wowed the audience.
The performers then joined guests for a thoughtfully-curated four course menu inspired by Native American culinary heritage.
The day before the event, Standing Rock orchestrated a magnificent photo shoot at Flemish Farm, against the iconic backdrop of Windsor Castle.
This saw players of the Standing Rock Polo Team stand and ride alongside the Native Americans, creating not only a striking image, but a powerful symbol of unity and mutual respect between the two cultures.
While the event was a fantastic and important opportunity to enable guests to understand more about the Native Americans and how indigenous principles and beliefs
Inspire and guide the ethos of Standing Rock, the key aim of the event was to inspire the polo world to give back to create a difference through support of the Standing Rock Foundation.
By working with carefully selected charity initiatives including Lakota Waldorf School in South Dakota, Children’s Hospital Bethlehem in Palestine, Sands End Associated Projects In Action (SEAPIA) in London, Laureus Switzerland, One Nation Walking Together in Colorado Springs, Bastifund, and James’s Place, the Foundation’s main goals are to help disadvantaged children and youth; preserve Indigenous cultures and traditions; respond to humanitarian and social needs; and promote respectful treatment of nature and animals.
Keen to be a role model and promote a positive message with his team wherever they go, along with being guided by the graciousness of Native American values, Philipp has always believed polo should be a sport for gentlemen.
While watching a game at Guards Polo Club one day, Philipp recalls seeing a player drop his mallet, and an opposing player picked it up. Believing this is how sport should be played, he started thinking about the idea of a Fair Play Award in polo to reward good conduct and sportsmanship and give an incentive for teams to follow a criteria for the award, demonstrating the highest standards of respect toward umpires, horse welfare and discipline on and off the field.
Umpires fill in a report after each game scoring the teams based on the key criteria, and the team with the highest score on average wins.
The first Fair Play Award presented in 2024 was the Victor Ludorum Fair Play Award, open to all levels of polo from 4 goals to 22 goals in the Victor Ludorum and Victrix Ludorum (Ladies) Championships.
The beautiful bronze trophy crafted by the renowned artist, Emma McDermott, is now recognised as a symbol of Fair Play, and it was first won by Ojo Caliente for the 2023 season, with high goal team Ferne Park awarded the trophy for the 2024 season.
The introduction of the Victor Ludorum Fair Play Award by the HPA was soon followed by awards at the Open de France in Chantilly, the New Zealand Open in Auckland, and the New South Wales Polo Association’s high goal series in Australia.
Building on this momentum, Standing Rock aims to expand the award to all major polo nations and to create categories for younger players, instilling the values of Fair Play from an early age.
Umpires have acknowledged that it is refreshing for them to be able to reward good conduct and sportsmanship, rather than penalising poor behaviour, and the overall reaction from players and clubs has been that fair play and sportsmanship make polo much more enjoyable and fun for everyone, including spectators.
In Philipp’s words – “Polo is a sport for gentlemen, and it should be played as such.”
While Standing Rock Polo Team can’t win its own Fair Play Award, the team is determined to raise the bar of fair play and comradery in their own games – whether that is in competitive tournaments or in friendly matches.
This year, after having played the high goal season in Australia and following another season playing 8 to 15 goal tournaments in the UK, Philipp embarked on an adventurous world tour with Standing Rock, having so far stopped off to play friendly matches at Dublin’s Phoenix Park, Krenkerup in Denmark, and Sweden’s Stockholm Polo Club.
The team has also enjoyed a winning streak, claiming the hotly-contested Berenberg German Polo Masters title in Sylt, before winning the fun low goal Summer Cup at Aspern Polo in Hamburg, and emerging victorious in the Subsidiary Final of the iconic Maifeld Cup played in front of the iconic Berlin Olympic Stadium, finishing among the top teams in the tournament.
From there the team went on playing in Morocco and Amsterdam, where the team lifted yet another trophy, and where Philipp continued to share his uplifting enthusiasm, passion and support for polo.
@standingrock.poloteam
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Standing Rock Foundation – A force for good
On 28 June 2025, the polo world celebrated an event at Guards Polo Club in Windsor that goes far beyond sport: the launch of the charitable Standing Rock Foundation. With this initiative, the Standing Rock Polo Team, led by patron Philipp Müller, is setting new standards for responsibility and social commitment.
The Foundation is inspired by the ‘Seven Lakota Values’ – generosity, respect, kinship, compassion, fortitude, wisdom and spirituality. These timeless principles of the Native Americans form the basis for Standing Rock’s actions on and off the field.
The Foundation’s goals are clearly defined:
Supporting disadvantaged children and young people, to improve access to education, healthcare and psychological care.
Preserving indigenous cultures and traditions, to protect their identity and heritage.
Providing humanitarian and social assistance, where it is most urgently needed.
Treating nature and animals with respect, especially in equestrian sports, by promoting sustainable and ethical practices.
The response to the Foundation’s launch was overwhelming, as guests gave a standing ovation in recognition of the vision to make polo an advocate for values and responsibility.
The Foundation is already supporting and working in partnership with a number of carefully selected projects, ranging from mental health care to educational initiatives and humanitarian aid – from London to South Dakota and Palestine.
What began in Windsor is more than a celebratory evening – it is the start of a movement that will shape polo beyond its sporting boundaries.
TEXT BY STANDING ROCK
PHOTOGRAPHY STANDING ROCK, SAM CHURCHILL
