I can't get over how talented polo players are, not only are they chasing after a tiny ball with a mallet on a galloping horse, but they're doing it with other players on galloping horses that are working against them, and may very well ram into them with they're own horse. I can barely hang on at a trot!!
A complete polo match consists of six chukkers and each chukker lasts 7 minutes. Whichever team scores the most goals by the end of the game wins. As far as I understand, the clock doesn't stop during the game like it does in some sports, so even though the actual game doesn't last as long as some, it doesn't lack for action.
This was one of my favorite things. I was standing taking photos down by the goal posts at one end of the field, which was huge, by the way. I think the announcer said you could contain 12 football fields on 1 polo field, aka ginormous!! There was no one around me so it was nice and quiet. The players were on the other side of the field, but then the ball was shot in my direction and everyone started racing down the field. As I got my camera ready, in the silence I heard this thunder, and like an idiot, I looked up at the clear blue sky wondering where the storm was coming from, then I realized that the sound of 8 horses hooves was the first sound that was reaching me as they came running. The combination of the rumbling with the silence was an awesome sound.
All the players line with their trailers and horses on the sides of the field.
This is Cindy. She and Sebastion played that day. Getting ready.
I also got to hang with this little guy all day! His name is Alexander, and is Cindy's adopted son from Guatemala. What a cute kid!!
Off to play. :)
This is what I mean about the balancing and the reaching and the shoving...only God knows how they stay on.
My favorite photos of the day, the one above and the one below. The one below, the player is galloping towards the goal while juggling the ball on his mallet. Oh yeah, they can juggle too, no big deal.
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