STORY OF P OLO
NOT ALL
HORSE PLAY
Over the years, the sport has evolved to include various
forms of polo, many without the horses.
That, and the ball is a
large brightly coloured
inflatable ball.
FUN FACT Horses have
to arrive long before
a tournament starts to get
them acclimatised to the
climate, the snow and
often, the altitude.
Elephant Polo
The World Elephant Polo
Association was founded in
Nepal in 1982. Played in Nepal,
Sri Lanka, Rajasthan (India) and
Thailand, the rules are similar
to traditional polo. There are
four players and mounts (in
this case elephants), except
two people ride each elephant,
one to hit the ball and the
other, known as a manhout,
to steer. As one would expect,
the game is a lot slower than
its traditional counterpart.
FUN FACT Soccer balls were
originally used, but this was
changed to a standard polo
ball because the elephants
liked to pop them.
Snow Polo
Played on a flat area of
compacted snow or a frozen
lake, Snow Polo was formally
launched in 1985 at the Swiss
ski resort of St Moritz. Barring
a few rule differences, the
game is pretty much like the
original, except it’s a lot colder.
and India, it’s offered as an
activity where tourists can
learn to play the game before
putting their skills to the test
in a fun match.
FUN FACT Because camels
have a mind of their own and
are notoriously stubborn,
they have been known to
sit down and not get up, or
wander off the field in the
middle of the game.
Cycle Polo
Cycle Polo is played in various
forms across the world. The
game, with similar rules to
polo, was invented in 1891
by retired Irish cyclist,
Richard J Mecredy. It was
Camel Polo
Not a serious competitive
sport yet, Camel Polo
is played in Mongolia,
Rajasthan, Dubai and parts
of Europe. It’s predominantly
played at festivals for
entertainment and
amusement. In Dubai
a demonstration sport at the
1908 London Olympics with
Ireland beating Germany
for gold. More recently, an
alternate form of the game
known as ‘Hardcourt Bike
Polo’ or ‘Urban Bike Polo’ has
grown in popularity. In this
version, teams compete on
tennis courts, hockey rinks
or whatever hard surfaces
are available.
FUN FACT Initially, Hardcourt
Bike Polo players handmade
their mallets in the spirit of
DIY ethics.
Cowboy Polo
Played mostly in the United
States, Cowboy Polo was
designed to allow more
access to the game. The
crux of the game remains
the same but there are
more players (five), a
different breed of horse
(predominantly Quarter
horses), different equipment
(the mallet is made of palm
wood and the rubber ball is
about the size of a netball),
and the length of play differs.
Players are also limited
to using only two horses
per match.
FUN FACT If you fall from
your mount, you’re obliged to
provide beer to all the other
players after the match. ■