Polo Ponies

Next to excellent playing skills, the most important element in polo is the pony. The polo pony is a unique animal, not recognized as a breed itself but combining the best traits of many breeds. Polo demands the speed of a thoroughbred, the intelligence of an Arabian, and the agility of a quarter horse.

Polo demands the speed of a thoroughbred, the intelligence of an Arabian, and the agility of a quarter horse.

When the British first learned of polo in Persia, the ponies used for play were measured at twelve hands two inches. The first height limit for polo ponies in England was fourteen hands in 1876. In 1896 the limit was raised to fourteen hands two inches. The limit was abolished in 1919. Currently most polo ponies are horses of normal height, averaging fifteen hands one inch. Most ponies are of thoroughbred stock. The breeding of polo ponies has been documented in England since 1893. The small thoroughbred stallion Rosewater holds the title of foundation sire for modern English ponies.

The majority of the very best polo ponies since the 1930's have come from Argentina, where thoroughbreds are crossed with the local Criollo horses. The great interest in polo and the availability of skilled riders are a great boon for the Argentine trainers, and they take extratime to produce "made" ponies that play the game well. In any sport, great athletes have that intangible quality known as "heart". This consists of giving one's best effort, and then giving a little more. Polo ponies are no exception.

Horses are credited with being at least 80 percent of the player’s effectiveness and most valuable asset. Occasionally an exceptional pony will be played in two chukkers with one or more chukkers in between to rest. Polo ponies are usually in such good physical condition that they are able to play at least two periods or more.

A suitable fitness program and proper nutrition are essential, but so too is appropriate furriery, dentistry and veterinary care

The various types of polo fields, Arena, Beach, Grass or Snow

Grass polo is the most common type of polo played around the world. There are a large number of grass polo clubs in the United States that offer seasonal polo to players and spectators. Many grass clubs also offer arena polo. Snow and beach polo are less common and not as widespread as arena and grass polo.

Arena, snow and beach polo differ from grass polo in several ways. In arena, snow and beach polo there are only three players per team and in grass polo there are four players per team. The other obvious differences are the size of the field, the playing surface and the ball. The largest field size is seen in grass polo at 300 x 160 yards. All other types of polo use a much smaller playing field. In grass polo, the polo ball is made of a hard, compacted plastic material. In arena, snow and beach polo a larger-sized inflatable ball is used that is made of leather.

There are also many rule differences between grass polo and other variants of polo. For example, in grass polo teams change direction after every goal is scored to provide an equal advantage in terms of wind and other variables. In other types of polo a team will change directions after each chukker/period of play. The time in a period of play (chukker) also varies between grass polo and the other types of polo. Grass chukkers are 7 minutes long and arena chukkers are 7.5 minutes long.

Grass Polo (aka outdoor polo)

Playing Surface: grass
Size: 300 x 160 yards
Chukkers: 4 to 6 periods of play (7 minute chukkers)
Goal Posts: 8 Yards Apart
Locations: Throughout United States and around the World.

Arena Polo (aka indoor polo)

Surface: dirt/sand
Size: varies, 300 x 150 feet in length is an ideal arena size
Ball: white, inflatable leather ball
Chukkers: 4 periods of play (7.5 minute chukkers)
Goal Zone: 10 x 15 foot area, recessed into arena wall
Locations: Throughout United States and around the World.

Snow Polo

Surface: snow, flat surface or frozen lakeSize: varies (usually less than 100 yards long)
Chukkers: 4 periods of play
Ball: bright colored inflatable ball to make more visible in the snow
Locations: Aspen, CO, Switzerland (St. Moritz and Klosters), Argentina, Russia, Italy (Cortina) and other cities.

Beach Polo

Surface: sandSize: varies
Chukkers: 4 periods of play
Ball: bright colored inflatable ball to make more visible in the sand
Locations: Mimi, FL (USA), UK, Dubai, Dominican Republic, Ireland).

Posted by Polo 101

Pony Express win cup in OT

Tomás Goti scored the winning goal in extra chukker, to give Pony Express a 8-7 win over Piaget, in the final of the USPA Spring Classic, played at Grand Champions Polo Club, in Wellington, Florida.
Pony Express' Michel Dorignac, who filled in for Kris Kampsen, was named MVP, and Bob Daniels' 61, ridden by Tomás Goti, took BPP honors for the second consecutive week.

Meanwhile, in the Subsidiary final, Barbarossa Leather beat Elangeni Ranch 9-8 in a OT shootout, decided by penalty shooting.

Lucchese and ERG Remain Undefeated - Santa Barbara Polo Club

Tournament favorite Lucchese remained undefeated but it wasn’t for Mansour’s lack of trying. Mansour ran out to an early 6-4 lead before dropping a close one to Adolfo Cambiaso and company, 13-12 in the second round of play in the 2010 Bombardier Pacific Coast Open tournament at the Santa Barbara Polo Club.

Jason Crowder scored the first two goals of the game for Lucchese, but a four goal output by Mansour had the high-riding foursome suddenly humbled with Santiago Toccalino scoring a twice from the field and teammates Luis Escobar and Martin Zegers adding single goals for an early 4-2 lead.

Cambiaso converted two penalty shots for Lucchese in the second chukker, but Toccalino was on fire, drilling two more goals from the field. At the end of the second chukker of play, Mansour found itself on top of a 6-4 score.

Cambiaso and Lucchese came alive in the third period, scoring four goals while holding Mansour to two scores.

Cambiaso scored three goals in the comeback, and Andres Weisz scored his first goal of the game to knot it up at 8-8. Mansour was held to two goals from Escobar as both teams repaired to the sidelines for the halftime intermission.

The fourth chukker was all Lucchese. Cambiaso added two more goals and Crowder added his third of the game. A resolute defense kept Mansour off the scoreboard as Lucchese took an 11-8 advantage.

Mansour fought their way back into it with single goals in the fifth from Toccalino and Zegers while holding Lucchese to a single Cambiaso penalty conversion. Lucchese continued to lead, but the margin was cut to two goals, 12-10.

Cambiaso’s ninth goal of the contest had Lucchese up 13-10, with time running down, but Mansour continued to press the attack. A goal from Mansour team captain Ben Soleimani and another from Escobar had them close, but time expired as Lucchese held on for the 13-12 victory.

Cambiaso led all scoring with nine goals. Crowder added three goals and Weisz was good for a goal in the win.

Toccalino led the Mansour attack with five goals. Escobar scored four times; Zegers twice and Soleimani added a goal in the loss.

ERG 11, ZACARA 10 OT

“We just made too many mistakes,” offered Zacara 8-goaler, Jeff Hall when asked about his team’s 11-10 loss to ERG (2-0). “They’re a very good team, but we just had too many penalties to overcome.”

Zacara had eighteen penalties called on it in the course of the match, with ERG converting eight of them for goals. In comparison, only four of Zacara’s ten goals came via penalty shots.

“It’s (ERG) a very well-balanced team,” said Zacara coach Steve Crowder,” they’re a very tough team.”

The teams were tied after the first chukker (2-2) and again after the second (4-4) before a pair of goals from Zacara 9-goaler Hilario Ulloa and a single goal from team captain Lyndon Lea gave them a 7-5 halftime lead. ERG was held to a single penalty goal from Paco De Narvaez in the period.
ERG bounced back in the fourth, getting goals from De Narvaez and team captain, Scott Wood, while holding Zacara scoreless, and it was all even, 7-7.

ERG went up, 8-7, after De Narvaez scored on a penalty goal, but Ulloa’s fourth goal of the day ended the chukker in an 8-8 deadlock.

Hall converted two penalty shots in the sixth, and De Narvaez did the same, as the game was forced into sudden-death overtime.

Santi Torres scored the winning goal in the overtime period, and ERG took a perfect 2-0 record off the field with them.

Zacara (1-1) suffered just its first loss of the tournament.

De Narvaez scored all of his game high eight goals on penalty shots. Torres added two from the field and Wood added a single goal in the win.

Hall scored five times for Zacara. Ulloa added four goals and Lea chipped in a goal in the effort.

VALIENTE 13, PIOCHO 12

Nacho Astrada and Kris Kampsen delivered a one-two punch Thursday afternoon as Valiente (1-1) knocked off Piocho (0-2) in a 13-12 shootout that saw Julio Gracida return to the Piocho lineup.

Three first chukker goals from Carlos Gracida had Piocho on top, 3-0, after the first chukker, before giving up two unanswered goals from Astrada in the second. Valiente cut the lead, 3-2.

The Gracida family provided four goals in the third chukker (two from Carlos and single goals from Memo and Julio) to take a 7-5 halftime lead as Valiente had to settle for a pair of goals from Kampsen and a single goal from Astrada. After three chukkers of play, Piocho led 7-5.

Astrada took control of the ball in the fourth period, scoring four goals from the field. Piocho was held to a single goal from Memo Gracida as Valiente moved ahead, 9-8.

A penalty goal from Carlos Gracida and a goal from the field from brother Memo Gracida gave the lead back to Piocho, 10-9, in the fifth, but Valiente wasn’t through. Taking advantage of penalty situations, Astrada and Kampsen each converted a penalty shot for a goal, and Valiente maintained the lead at the end of five, 11-10.

Scoring went bak and forth in the final chukker of play, with Carlos Gracida scoring twice for Piocho while Valiente got single goals from Astrada and Kampsen. Time ran out on Piocho with Valiente claiming a 13-12 win.
Astrada scored nine goals from Valiente with teammate Kampsen adding four in the win.
Carlos Gracida scored eight times for Piocho. Memo Gracida accounted for three goals and Julio Gracida scored once.

GRANTS FARM 13, AUDI 9

Grants Farm (1-1) team captain Andy Busch returned to the lineup Thursday afternoon to see his team score a 13-9 win over the beleaguered Audi (0-2) foursome as Pacific Coast Open action continued.

Audi took the early lead on a pair of goals from Juan Bollini, while holding Grants Farm to a single goal from Jeff Blake in the opening chukker.

Three unanswered goals from Sugar Erskine had Grants Farm on top, 4-3 after the second chukker, and it looked as though it was going to be a long afternoon for the winless foursome.

Blake added three more goals to the Grants Farm total in the third, but single goals from Marc Ganzi, Lolo Castagnola and Bollini kept it close, with Grants Farm holding a 7-5 lerad after the first three chukkers of play.

Audi tied it at 7-7 in the fourth on goals from Ganzi and Bollini, but Blake’s fifth goal of the game gave Grants Farm a narrow 8-7 advantage after four periods of play.

The fifth chukker proved to be the difference in the game. Grants Farm got single goals from Erskine, Blake and Busch while holding Audi scoreless for an 11-7 lead, and Audi never came back.

The two teams exchanged a pair of goals apiece in the final frame with Cachi Garcia-Velez and Erskine getting on the scoreboard for Grants Farm and Ulysses Escapite and Castagnola answering for Audi. Final score, Grants Farm 13, Audi 9.

By Alex Webbe

Horseback Riding and Introduction to Polo

Imagine a ball hit so hard

that it comes at you at a speed of 110 miles per hour. So fast, you can hardly see it! Your job is to stay at a gallop, get your polo pony in line with the ball, and either pass it ahead to a teammate, or carry the ball down the field for an attempt at goal.

This wonderful day is designed to give us, the novices, a true appreciation for the skill and athleticism required to be a professional polo player. Nestled in the tranquil, rolling hills of Putnam County, Haviland Hollow Farm is New York’s premier equestrian and polo farm. In this idyllic setting, we will take a private tour of the grounds while learning terms like “pony goal” and “chukker”. After getting acquainted with the surroundings, it is time to saddle up and take a ride on our new, four-legged friends. First you will receive a lesson on horseback safety and riding techniques so you can relax and enjoy the experience. For an hour, we will walk, trot or perhaps even cantor through woods bordering the polo grounds.

The best part of the day has yet to come! After our ride, we will lay out our picnic blankets and watch a real polo game or scrimmage! You will be close enough to hear the thumping of the hooves and feel the energy from the exciting match. To top off the day, we will munch on an assortment of cheeses and breads while enjoying a glass or two of wine. (Please bring whatever picnic goodies you like, including beer or wine).

About Polo

Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Riders score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team’s goal using a long-handled mallet. The traditional sport of polo is played at speed on a large grass field up to 300 yards in length, and each polo team consists of four riders and their mounts.

 

History of Polo

A game of unclear origins, polo was first played in Persia (Iran, Afghanistan) at dates given from the 6th century BC to the 1st century AD. Polo was at first a training game for cavalry units, usually the king’s guard or other elite troops. To the warlike tribesmen, who played it with as many as 100 to a side, it was a miniature battle. In time polo became an Iranian national sport played extensively by the nobility. Women as well as men played the game, as indicated by references to the queen and her ladies engaging King Khosrow II Parviz and his courtiers in the 6th century AD. Valuable for training cavalry, the game was played from Constantinople to Japan by the Middle Ages. Known in the East as the Game of Kings. The name polo is said to have been derived from the Tibetan word “pulu”, meaning ball.