Polo facts for kids
Players playing polo
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| Highest governing body | Federation of International Polo |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | The Sport of Kings |
| Origin | Greater Iran
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| Clubs | 90+ |
| Characteristics | |
| Contact | Yes |
| Team members |
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| Mixed-sex | Yes |
| Type | Equestrian, ball game, team sport |
| Equipment | Polo pony, mallet, ball, protective wear |
| Venue | Polo field or arena |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Worldwide |
| Olympic | Formerly (1900, 1908, 1920–1924 and 1936) |
Polo is an exciting team sport played on horseback. It's a game where players use long mallets to hit a ball across a field, trying to score goals. Imagine playing hockey, but while riding a fast horse! Polo is one of the oldest team sports in the world, starting over 2,000 years ago in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran). It's often called "The Sport of Kings" because it was enjoyed by royalty and noble families. Today, polo is played professionally in many countries and is loved by people all over the globe. To play polo, you need to be a skilled rider and physically fit, as it's a fast-paced and active game.
Contents
A Look Back: Polo's Ancient Roots
Polo began in ancient Persia, which is modern-day Iran. Its original Persian name was "Chovgan." The English name "polo" comes from a word for "ball" in the Balti language, spoken in parts of Asia.
Many historians believe polo started as a simple game played by Iranian people. Over time, it grew into a formal sport, especially popular among kings and nobles. Both men and women enjoyed playing polo. It was even part of the education for young royals in the Sasanian Empire. For example, Emperor Shapur II learned to play polo when he was just seven years old!
How Polo Spread Across the World
Polo was very useful for training soldiers who rode horses. It spread far and wide, from Constantinople (now Istanbul) to Japan during the Middle Ages. It also reached Arabia, India, and Tibet.
Many cities, like Baghdad, had large polo fields. Kings and rulers often supported the game. In the 17th century, a huge public square in Isfahan, Iran, was built to be a polo field! Even emperors in the Byzantine Empire loved polo.
The game also became popular with leaders in Egypt and the Middle East. Famous sultans like Saladin were known for their polo skills. Polo even influenced playing cards, with the "clubs" suit originally representing polo sticks!
Polo traveled along the famous Silk Road to China. It was very popular in the Tang dynasty, and women often played it, sometimes even dressing in men's clothes for the game.
Polo's Journey to Modern Times
Polo in India and Britain
The modern game of polo we know today developed in India. British tea planters learned the game from people in Manipur, India, in the 1800s. They brought the game back to England.
In Manipur, polo was played with seven players on smaller, local ponies. They used cane sticks and bamboo balls. The oldest polo ground in the world is the Imphal Polo Ground in Manipur, with a history dating back to 33 CE!
The British quickly adopted polo. The first European polo club was founded in India in 1859. The Calcutta Polo Club, established in 1862, is the oldest polo club still active today. British soldiers then introduced polo to England in 1869. The Hurlingham Polo Association created the first official rules in 1874, many of which are still used.
Polo in Ireland
Polo arrived in Ireland in 1870, with the first official game played on Gormanstown Strand. The All Ireland Polo Club was founded three years later.
Polo in Argentina
Polo became incredibly popular in Argentina. Immigrants in the Argentine countryside started playing for fun. In 1875, David Shennan organized the country's first formal polo game.
The sport quickly spread among the skilled gauchos (Argentine cowboys). Argentina has become a world leader in polo, known for its top players and horses. Argentine teams even won gold medals in the Olympic Games in 1924 and 1936!
Polo in the United States
The first outdoor polo match in the United States was played in Westchester County, New York, in 1876. However, there is evidence that English Texans were playing polo even earlier in places like Denison and Boerne, Texas.
In the early 1900s, American polo changed to a faster, more exciting style. This new way of playing, with long passes and full-speed gallops, helped a US team easily defeat an English team in 1909.
Polo Today: A Global Game
Polo is a professional sport in many countries, including Argentina, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is actively played in 77 countries around the world. Although polo was an Olympic sport only from 1900 to 1936, the International Olympic Committee recognized it again in 1998. The Federation of International Polo holds the World Polo Championship every three years.
One special thing about polo is that amateur players often play alongside the sport's best professionals.
Polo Powerhouses Around the World
Argentina: The Polo Capital
Argentina is often called the capital of polo. Its rich farmlands near Buenos Aires are perfect for raising high-quality polo horses. Argentina also produces many of the world's best polo players.
The country is famous for having the most "10-handicap" players, which is the highest skill rating in polo. Argentina hosts three major tournaments, known as the "Triple Crown": the Hurlingham Polo Open, Tortugas Polo Open, and Palermo Polo Open. The main polo season runs from October to December.
Polo in East and Southeast Asia
Polo has been played in Malaysia and Singapore since the late 1800s. It was often enjoyed by royalty and important leaders. Polo has also been part of the Southeast Asian Games in 2007, 2017, and 2019.
Today, polo is growing in popularity in cities like Pattaya, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta. China has also seen new polo clubs open in Beijing and Shanghai.
Polo in West Asia
Polo is not as widespread in West Asia, but Iran has five active clubs. The United Arab Emirates has four, and there are clubs in Bahrain and Jordan. In Iran, polo is still called "Chogan," its original Persian name, and some ancient traditions are kept during matches.
Polo in India
India is home to the world's oldest polo club, the Calcutta Polo Club. It also hosts the Ezra Cup, the oldest polo tournament. The Indian Polo Association governs the sport in India. A new, faster version of polo, similar to Twenty20 cricket, was launched in Jaipur in 2016 to attract more spectators.
Polo in Pakistan
Pakistan hosts the annual Shandur Polo Festival at Shandur Top, which is the world's highest polo ground at about 3,734 meters (12,251 feet) above sea level. The Pakistan Polo Association oversees more than twenty-one clubs and over forty championships each year.
Polo in the United Kingdom
The Hurlingham Polo Association, founded in 1875, is the main governing body for polo in the UK. The UK Armed Forces Polo Association also manages the sport for military personnel.
Polo in the United States
The United States Polo Association (USPA) is the governing body for polo in the US. Interestingly, the US is the only country with a separate organization for women's polo, the United States Women's Polo Federation.
Understanding the Game: Rules of Polo
Polo rules are designed to keep both players and horses safe. Umpires watch the game closely and blow a whistle for rule breaks, called fouls. Penalties are then given.
A key rule is based on the "line of the ball." This is an imaginary line that follows the ball's path. The player who last hit the ball usually has the right of way, meaning other players cannot cross this line in front of them dangerously. Most fouls happen when players cross this line incorrectly.
Defending players can try to get the ball back in several ways. They can "hook" an opponent's mallet to block their swing. They can also "bump" or "ride-off" an opponent by riding their horse alongside to push them away from the ball. This must be done safely, without endangering the horses or riders.
Fouls are dangerous plays. Depending on how serious the foul is and where it happened on the field, different penalty shots are awarded. White lines on the field show where these penalty shots are taken.
Players and Their Roles
Outdoor polo teams have four mounted players. Teams can be all-male, all-female, or mixed. Each player has a specific number and role on the team. For safety, polo must always be played right-handed to avoid head-on collisions.
The Polo Ball and Mallet
The modern outdoor polo ball is made of strong plastic. In the past, they were made from bamboo or willow root. The ball is about 3 to 3.5 inches (7.6 to 8.9 cm) in diameter and weighs about 3.5 to 4.5 ounces (99 to 128 grams).
The polo mallet has a long cane shaft and a wooden, cigar-shaped head. The shaft is made from strong cane, not hollow bamboo. The mallet head is usually made from a hardwood called tipa. Players choose mallets of different lengths and weights based on their preference and the height of their horse. The ball is hit with the broad sides of the mallet head, not the ends.
Equipment for Safety
Players must wear a protective helmet with a chin strap and often a face guard. Polo boots and knee guards are also required in many places to protect the legs. Goggles, elbow pads, and mouthguards are also recommended. Players wear shirts that show their team colors and white polo pants.
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Polo helmet with face guard
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Polo knee pads, mandatory equipment
The Field and Game Time
The outdoor polo field is huge, about 300 yards (274 meters) long and 160 yards (146 meters) wide. This is roughly the size of six soccer fields! Goals are posts set eight yards apart at each end of the field. The field's grass is kept very short and smooth.
During halftime, spectators often go onto the field for "divot stomping." This tradition helps push back the chunks of earth (divots) torn up by the horses' hooves. It's also a fun way for people to walk around and socialize.
An outdoor polo game lasts about one and a half to two hours. It's divided into four to eight seven-minute periods called "chukkas." Players change horses between or during chukkas because the horses get tired. Play is continuous and only stops for fouls, broken equipment, or injuries. The goal is to hit the ball between the goal posts, no matter how high it goes.
Meet the Polo Ponies
The horses used in polo are called 'polo ponies,' but they are actually full-sized horses, not small ponies! They are usually between 14.2 and 16 hands high (about 147-163 cm). Polo ponies are chosen for their speed, stamina, quick turns, and good behavior under pressure. Many are Thoroughbreds or mixes with Thoroughbreds.
These horses are trained to respond to a rider's leg and weight signals, allowing the rider to control them with one hand on the reins. A well-trained polo pony is super important and can make up a big part of a player's skill.
Polo pony training usually starts when they are about three years old and can take up to two years. They are at their best for playing polo around age six or seven and can play until they are 18 to 20 years old if they stay healthy.
Players need several horses for a game. This allows them to switch to a fresh horse between chukkas or even during a chukka if one gets tired. A player might have two or three horses for a low-level game, and many more for top-level competitions.
What Polo Ponies Wear
Polo saddles are similar to those used for horse jumping. They have a flat seat and no knee support, allowing the rider to lean forward. Special equipment like a breastplate and a standing martingale are added for safety.
The stirrups are heavier and the stirrup leathers are wider than usual, providing extra safety when the player stands up in the stirrups. The pony's legs are wrapped with polo wraps to protect them from injuries. Sometimes, jumping boots are also used. The pony's mane is often shaved short, and its tail is braided so it doesn't get in the way of the mallet.
Polo horses wear double reins, which gives the rider more precise control. The bit used is often a gag bit or Pelham bit.
Different Ways to Play Polo
Indoor Arena Polo
Arena polo is a version of the game played indoors or in a semi-outdoor enclosed arena. It's played with three riders per team and is less physically demanding than outdoor polo.
The arena is smaller than an outdoor field, usually made of compacted sand. Because of the smaller space, there's more maneuvering. Arena polo uses a larger, air-filled ball, often covered in leather, which is softer than the hard ball used outdoors.
Arena Polo Tournaments
Many clubs in the United States have active arena polo programs. Collegiate polo (played by university students) in the US and Canada is usually arena polo.
Some important arena polo tournaments include:
- The U.S. Arena Polo Championship, a high-level competition that started in 1926.
- The Arena Polo Grand Prix in Argentina, which began in 2019.
- The Arena Polo European Championship, first held in 2015.
Fun Polo Variations
Polo isn't just played on grass fields! There are many exciting variations:
- Snow polo is played on packed snow or a frozen lake, often with three players per team and a bright plastic ball.
- Beach polo is played on sand with teams of three riders.
- Cowboy polo is played in the western United States by five riders on a dirt surface, using western saddles and a large inflatable rubber ball.
Other sports share some similarities but are different from standard polo:
- Horseball combines polo, rugby, and basketball, where players score by shooting a ball through a high net.
- Polocrosse is a mix of polo and lacrosse, developed in Australia.
Polo on Other Animals or Vehicles
Some fun, non-horse versions of polo exist, often for recreation or tourism:
- Camel polo is played in Mongolia.
- Elephant polo is played in South Asia.
- Yak polo is played in Mongolia and western China.
Polo can even be played with vehicles:
- Auto polo used cars instead of horses in the early 1900s.
- Canoe polo is played in kayaks.
- Cycle polo is played on bicycles.
- Segway polo uses Segway personal transporters.
There's even a lighthearted version called hobby horse polo, where players ride toy hobby horses! It has some funny rules, like scoring goals into bar stools.
See also
In Spanish: Polo (deporte) para niños
- Buzkashi
- Chovgan
- Dakyu
- Jereed
- List of polo players
- PIPA Polo Instructors and Players Association
- Polo handicap
- World Polo Championship
| May Edward Chinn |
| Rebecca Cole |
| Alexa Canady |
| Dorothy Lavinia Brown |