ATTEND A MATCH
If you have never been to a polo match before, you are in for a wonderful new sporting and social experience.

Polo is team sport much like ice hockey and soccer. Two teams compete against each other to score as many goals as possible in six 7 minute periods or chukkers. A polo field is 160 x 300 yards, and a typical match will last anywhere from 1-2 hours.

Each team has four players. The number a player wears (1-4) indicates their role on the team. The player wearing number 1, for example, is the team's striker. He or she is the team's primary offensive player and plays mostly in their opponents end of the field. Players wearing numbers 2 and 3 are midfielders, and those wearing number 4 play mostly defense. However, since the game moves so quickly, players tend to overlap in their positions. So it's not uncommon to see a number 3 at their opponents goal or a number 2 playing defense.

A typical polo pony gallops for most of each chukker. At this pace, one horse will not be able to play for the whole match. In fact, in high-goal polo, ponies only last one chukker! This means that each player must have up to six horses to play during one match!

The rules of polo have been established to protect horse and rider. While professional players make a match exciting and graceful, a thousand-pound horse moving at speed can be very dangerous. The most important rule for new players and spectators to appreciate is who has the right-of-way on the field at any given time.

Right-of-way is established by what direction the ball is moving. An imaginary "line" runs along this path and players are forbidden from crossing it. A player who "crosses the line" has essentially cut-off another player who has established the right-of-way. When this happens, the referee will call a foul and spot the ball for a "free hit" in several different locations depending on the severity of the foul - the more severe, the shorter the distance to the goal.

The teams change sides after every goal to nullify any wind or field advantages.
Polo has a handicap system similar to golf. Each player registered with the United States Polo Association (USPA) is rated from -2 (the lowest) to 10 (the highest). This rating has nothing to do with actual number of goals a player will score, but rather has to do with their overall skill level.

When matches are played by handicap, each team adds the number of goals of their players together. The difference between the two teams is awarded in goals to the lower of the teams prior to the start of the match. For example, if Team 1 has four 4-goal players (for a team-total of 16-goals) and Team 2 has four 3-goal players (for a team-total of 12-goals), the match will begin 4 to 0 in favor of Team 2.
Polo is a game to be appreciated for many reasons. Those new to the sport may enjoy it simply for the action, grace, and beauty - a thorough understanding of the rules is not necessary to enjoy a day's match. As you learn more about it, you can marvel at the details - the strengths of individual players, the characteristics of the ponies, and the fluidity of team-play.

We hope to see you and that you will come to enjoy the sport as much as we do!