A-Z OF POLO
AFETY When you hear the
S commentator refer to a safety 60, it means a defending player has hit the ball over his own backline, giving the attacking team a free shot. This is taken 60 yards out from the back line, opposite the point where it went out of play and is the equivalent of a corner in football.
EN-GOALER If you are a 10 you
T are probably South American. Unlike golf, the higher the handicap the better the player in polo and 10 is as high as you can go. There is only ever a handful at any one time – a very rare club indeed and The Cartier Queen’ s Cup is the perfect opportunity to watch them in action. There are five this year so remember their hat colours and watch the world’ s best at play.
MPIRES The smart chaps in
U black and white stripes riding around the field are umpires.
Cross them at your peril if you are playing. They have the power to award penalties, hand out yellow cards, move the ball closer to your opponent’ s goal or ask you to leave the field. All Cartier Queen’ s Cup umpires are experienced former players who know, and have seen, every trick in the book.
ICTORY Regardless of handicap, every game is played
V to win. These players have the competitve streak runnng through their veins.
ATCH Polo is not renowned
W for its prizes − the honour of winning for your patron is usually enough, but Cartier adds an extra kudos with its gorgeous watches as prizes.
FACTOR The world’ s best
X players and ponies plus some gorgeous guests always give
The Cartier Queen’ s Cup the x-factor. Beautiful players, perfect ponies and great games played in the spectacular setting of Guards Polo Club in the Windsor Great Park.
ELLOW FLAG Only in the
Y high-goal can umpires show a yellow flag. Two flags in a game means the player is sent off the field for two minutes, but three will see the player sent off immediately. Very rare, but an effective deterent.
ACARA Lyndon Lea’ s talented
Z team, who are looking to achieve their third victory in
the Cartier Queen’ s Cup this year. Great ponies and brilliant players always make a winning combination so they may just do it.
GUARDS POLO CLUB 111