Johnny Lynne, Founder & MD of Polistas

The equestrian team sport of polo attracts a huge amount of spectators and players every year. Dating back to 600 BC, the game is steeped in history, rigour and excitement as it has evolved into how it is played today. So whether your contribution to the polo field is divot stomping at Cowdray Park or playing like a natural in Argentina, we hope you’ll enjoy in our interview with polo expert, Patrea More-Nisbett.  

The Sport:
Polo is the fastest equestrian team sport in the world. The object of the game is to score the most amount of goals by hitting the ball through the competing team’s ten feet high goal posts. There are four to six chukkas in a game depending on the level (i.e.: low goal, medium goal and high goal). Each chukka lasts seven minutes. It starts with the umpire throwing the ball in the middle of the ground among the players. Like some other field sports, ends are changed after each goal for even and fair play, allowing both teams to not be disadvantaged by strong sun, uneven ground or the direction of the wind. When the ball goes out of the sidelines, it is thrown back to the players. However, if it is knocked over the backline, it will be given to a player of the opposing team to hit back into the ground.  The ground is 300 yards long and 160 yards wide. A new chukka is started by a throw-in at the last position of the ball during the previous period.

Getting into Polo...
If you want to break into the polo world, your best bet it to start in a little club. There are 55 HPA (Hurlingham Polo Association) outdoor clubs and 28 area clubs throughout the UK and Ireland. If you are a complete novice to all things horses, learn to ride first, and then learn how to ride a polo pony, because if you can’t ride it well, you won’t be able to turn it during a game and will end up looking rather silly. With trotting you must learn to rise, cantering sitting down. You can't play it left handed as all players play with their right hand, and you could end up killing someone! In order to learn polo, you will have to grab a weighted stick to get your shoulder, elbow and wrist strong enough to play. Take the weighted stick with you whenever riding as it is good practice. . Your polo pony is only going to neck reign. Then progress to low goal polo.

In the polo World of low grade polo clubs, people are happy playing chukkas just a few times a week and getting together. It is down to earth and a healthy environment to learn in. They also throw plenty of parties and get-togethers. The usual situation of a game is arriving with three to four polo ponies from a field, groomed up and put into a sheep lorry. At low grade level, it doesn't matter much as you're just learning the ropes. And on the other side of the coin, you'll get people with lots of money who are really trying to break into the polo world; they will buy a rather sharp horse box, groom, an unscuffed Land Rover and immaculately clean boots. If you are rich, then you are most likely to start at the top, there are lots of people that teach polo well, Johnny Halls for instance is very good at his game. Some can get bored of low grade polo rather quickly and move onto high grade rather soon.

For novices, several Clubs that teach polo spring immediately to mind. HAM Polo Club has been family run and known for its friendly environment since formed in 1926. Only eight miles away from Hyde Park Corner, it is one of the UK’s oldest polo clubs, and a good choice to learn the sport near London. Marcus Hancock runs a good one too in Surrey - 01784 434 212. A typical lesson will have you riding for 30 minutes, then polo lessons on ground for 30 minutes, manoeuvres then go on horse. Someone once said to become a good player, never go on horse without a stick – very true! The Blue Book by the HPA is good also worth looking at.

Depending on your dedication you could be playing in 3 weeks. You will be spending hours and hours on a wooden horse, in a cage with slanting boards long enough for you to have a reach in directions as you bash ball after ball. The good polo pony will probably know more about polo than you do. The game will go to the left, and the pony will go to the left, if you don’t follow you'll probably fall off! Your average player is almost glued to their saddle from the top of knee to groin.

What to wear
Avoid wearing jeans, as the seam is rough. It will add to the soreness of your legs the following day. Wear shoes with a heel and good socks. During your learning stage (before you get kitted out), an inexpensive alternative to big named polo trousers are baker’s trousers, available online or through a catering catalogue. They are made of tough white material, and have a flat seam. It doesn't matter what you are wearing above the waist too much, apart from insuring the use of a helmet with chin strap, preferably with a face guard. Helmets come in various guises: peak caps, round jobs, etc.
If you have a bad back, be sure to wear an elasticised back support.

If you like the game, you want good trousers, chaps, knee pads, elbow pads and boots for your ankles. You do not need spurs. You will eventually buy sticks but initially borrow.

Polo Team
In a polo team comprised of four (or three in arena polo, depending on the space), the weakest player is Number One, who is at the front being Forward with Number 2. Number Three is the Pivot Man and Number 4, if the goal defender / long hitter. There are also two mounted umpires on the ground and a referee, usually in the stands; a time keeper; and two goal judges – one based behind each goal, signaling scores with a flag.

Making Your Own Team
If you are setting up your own team for High Goal Polo, you should aim to get a good name and patron behind you, and h will usually wind up being the Number One, with the other players being a number of professionals depending on what league you are playing in. The best professionals come from abroad; the Argentineans (the Argies), Colombians, Peruvians, Americans, Australians, and New Zealanders. When they come over, they will expect their patrons to buy their horses and pay them anything between £500 and upwards of £1000 a week. Horses can cost anything from £2,000 to £50,000 depending on the time of the year, the horse involved, and what competitions they are in for.

Chukka
Periods of play are called chukkas. A chukka is seven minutes plus 30 seconds overtime if the ball is still in play. There are three minutes between chukkas for changing ponies, and five minutes rest at half time. And you have one pony per chukka. But I have known four people with seven ponies. On a six chukka match, you will change every chukka. If there are no goals scored during the game, extra chukkas are played.

Handicaps
Introduced to England and India in 1910, a good handicap is widely considered a passport to the world. Players start at a handicap of minus two and can reach ten goals depending on their skill and dedication. The Hurlingham Polo Association designates handicaps to the 2,000+ UK polo players. With the advantage of great horses and Polo Manager, R Winnie Ferguson, Prince Charles played for an enormous amount of time at a handicap of 4, which takes a huge amount of concentration - impressive given his other commitments and Royal duties. In a low goal team, the number of handicaps are added up, divided by six and multiplied by four.
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