A team equestrian sport in which mounted players use long mallets to drive a small wooden ball into the opposing goal.
Origin and rules
Polo was played in Persia more than 2500 years ago as a training game for elite cavalry. British soldiers in India revived it in the 19th century and codified modern rules at the Calcutta Polo Club in 1862.
How it plays
Four mounted players per side gallop down a 300-yard grass field and try to hit a small white ball through the opposing goalposts. Matches consist of four to eight 7-minute chukkers, with players switching ponies between each chukker due to fatigue.
Competition
The Argentine Open at Palermo, the US Open, and the British Gold Cup are the leading club tournaments. The FIP World Polo Championship is the elite international event. Argentina, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, and Pakistan are dominant. Polo last appeared at the Olympics in 1936.
Find more sports by letter
Polo starts with P and ends with O. Browse other sports along the same letter.
Sports that contain a letter from "Polo":