Here at Onya Magazine we’re very excited for the Jeep Portsea Polo this weekend. Whether you’re going for the first time or the 14th, we’ve put together a two part series on ‘How Not To Embarrass Yourself At The Polo’ with facts and basic rules about the game, and a guide on how to dress for the event. Enjoy!
No longer a game just for king and cavalry, polo is the only sport with horses worth talking about this summer. With the racing season merely a distant memory, all attention is now focused on the Jeep Portsea Polo, held every year in the gorgeous surrounds of the Mornington Peninsula.
Come this Saturday 11th January, the who’s who of Australia’s social scene will descend upon Point Nepean Quarantine Station in style by chopper, sea and luxury car for a day of fashion, entertainment, gourmet catering, and of course a spot of polo.
The world-class event offers a rare chance for guests to relish in the fastest growing spectator sport in the world, with three matches showcasing some of the world’s best players from Australia, New Zealand and England.
There’s plenty of entertainment off the field too. Those in marquees can expect custom menus crafted by Australia’s top chef including Ian Curley from the European for the Point Nepean Polo Club, Adam D’Sylva for Peroni and Masterchef’s Matt Preston for Jeep. DJ Dean Cherny will hit the decks throughout the day, while Australian favourite Phil Ceberano will entertain the crowds after the main game.
Over 50,000 guests are expected to attend the event, so ensure you get your ticket soon to avoid missing out. General Admission tickets are available from $75 with a range of corporate hospitality options available. For more information visit www.portseapolo.com.au.
How Not To Embarrass Yourself: The Basic Rules Of The Game
So you’ve bought your ticket the polo. Well done! Only problem is you know little to nothing about the game itself. Not a problem – we’ve put together a fast and easy guide to the sport that will have you sounding like a pro in no time.
FAST FACTS
- The game’s origins stretch back over two millennia to Persia, with the first known public match said to take place in 600 B.C.E.
- Then, and even still today, Polo is often used in training to replicate warfare. Despite being quite rough, polo has always been regarded as a gentleman’s game.
- Polo is no longer restricted to the socially elite, and is officially played by 77 countries, 16 professionally.
- The game was an Olympic sport from 1900-1936, with nine nations taking part: Great Britain, Argentina, United States, Spain, Mexico, France, Belgium, Germany and Hungary. There were calls to bring it back for the London 2012 games, but the attempt was unsuccessful.
- Argentina is currently the Polo Mecca, after the sport was taken there by British settlers in the 1870s. The country has the largest amount of 10-goal (the highest attainable handicap) players in the world.
GAME GUIDE
The Game
- The objective of the game is to score goals by knocking the small, white plastic ball into the opponents goals. It does not matter how high or low the ball is.
- After each goal, the game resumes from the middle, but the teams switch directions and aim for the opposite goal.
- A match is divided into 4 to 6 periods called chukkers. Each chukker is 7.5 minutes long but at 7 minutes there is a warning bell to signal the chukker is almost finished. If a team scores after this warning bell or the ball touches the sideboards of the polo field, the chukker ends immediately.
- Each chukker is tiring for the horses, so players have 4 minutes between chukkers to switch horses.
- If there is an equal amount of goals at the end of the chukkers, the game becomes sudden deaths. The overtime runs for as many chukkers as it takes.
- Two mounted umpires are on the field at all times, while a “third man” Is located near the middle of the polo field.
- If a foul occurs, the whistle is blown which stops the clock. The several lines on the field indicate the different distances the penalties can be taken from.
The Players
- There are four players in a team, numbered 1,2,3,4
- Player 1 is typically the offensive player while Player 4 plays defense. Players 2 and 3 are often the most experienced players. There is no permanent goal keeper.
- Each player has a handicap, much like Golf. Players are rated from -2 (the most novice) to 10 (the best). A handicap of 5 is usually only achieved by professionals, and only a dozen have a handicap of 10. To make things more confusing, rankings can differ country to country.
- The teams handicap is the sum of all the individiual players. A team with a handicap of 2 each would have a handicap of 8, also known as an 8-goal team.
- If opposing teams have different handicaps, then the team with the lesser handicap will get a head start of the point difference.
FAUX PAS
- The horses are traditionally called ponies, not horses.
- Divots are the holes in the ground created by the ponies’ hooves. During half-time, spectators are invited to go onto the field to socialize and stomp on the divots. This tradition is, unsurprisingly, called The Divot Stomp.
- While largely associated with British upper class society, a fake British accent is not a requirement at the polo.
And if all else fails, simply sip your champagne daintily and politely clap when a goal is scored – for any team.
