SPECTATOR’S GUIDE
THE SPORT OF KINGS Spectator’s Guide THE GAME Polo is played on a massive field the size of nine football fields (300 x 160 yards) to accommodate the intense speed and pace of the game. Horse and player traffic can extend just outside of the low wooden boards, but as soon as the ball leaves the field, it is out-of-bounds and stops play. A goal is scored by hitting the ball between the two goal posts at any height. A goal is confirmed by the flag bearer standing (at a safe distance) behind each goal. It pays to keep your eye on the ball but also on the teams because they change directions each time a goal is scored in order to equalize playing conditions. CHUKKER: The period of play. In a low- or medium-goal game, players have four 7-1/2minute chukkers in which to score, and in a highgoal game, there are six 7-1/2-minute chukkers. Because the primary focus in polo is the safety of the horses and of the players, the rules of play focus on avoiding injury. With horses hitting speeds of up to 35 miles per hour, the most significant rule governing play is “right of way,” as designated by the “line of the ball.” When a foul is called by one of the two umpires on the field, the severity of the infraction and the resulting penalty is judged on a scale of 1 to 9, based on how dangerous the infraction was to the horse or player.
22 HOUSTO N P OLO C LUB
