the game of polo. the aim of the game to score goals by hitting a small white ball between the...
TRANSCRIPT
The Aim of the Game
• To score goals by hitting a small white ball between the opposing teams goal posts while sitting on your horse.
• To win the match you have to score more goals than your opponent.
• Teams play six periods, or chukkers per game. Each lasts seven minutes. If the score is tied at the end of the game, a seventh chukker is played.
Equipment:The Horses• The horses (usually
called polo ponies) have to be easy to move, quick and able to cope under pressure.
• The riders have to be able to control the horse with one hand while holding the mallet in the other.
• The game is very fast and tiring for the horses so each rider changes their horse at the end of each chukker
Equipment:The Mallet• The mallet is like a
long handled stick with a wooden head that you hit the ball with, and a rope loop at the top which riders can put round their wrist to prevent dropping it.
• They are normally made of bamboo and are 1.25 metres long.
Wrist strap to put your wrist through.
Equipment:The Ball
• The ball is normally white and easily seen.
• It is made of wood or plastic.
• It is about the size of a tennis ball
The Playing Area• The field is
usually 275 metres long and 138 metres wide.
• There are 2 goalposts at each end of the pitch that are 7 metres apart for scoring between.
138 metres.
275
metr
es.
Passing The Ball• The players have
to hit the ball with their mallet to pass it to each other
• the ball has to be hit hard so it is not intercepted, but not too hard that it goes off the pitch.
Protection• Each player has to
wear a protective helmet on their head.
• They wear long, leather riding boots
• They also wear pads on their knees
Other versions
• There are other versions of polo played around the world, but these are not usually played in England
• Snow polo ( three players) is played on snow and ice.
• Elephants polo is played on elephants
• Bike polo played on bikes
The most famous people to play
• The most famous
people in Britain to play polo are the royal family. Prince Philip (the Queen’s husband) used to play; Prince Charles (her son) and Prince William and Prince Harry (her grandsons)