INTERMEDIATE Polo teams with a total handicap of 8-12 goals. INTERVALS Three-minute rest periods between chukkas. Half time is five minutes.

JUDGES Goal judges are positioned behind each goal to signal when a goal has been scored. Hard hats are worn for protection. They wave a flag when a goal has been scored and hold up a polo ball to show that a shot went wide.

KNOCK-IN Should a team hit the ball over their opponent’s backline during an attack, then the defending team resumes the game with a free hit from the backline where the ball went over. It is the equivalent to a goal kick in football.

LINE OF THE BALL Crossing the

line is the most frequent foul in polo. The line of the ball, namely the imaginary line along which the ball travels, represents a right of way for the player following nearest that line. There are strict rules governing opponents’ entry into the right of way in the interest of safety. LOW-GOAL Teams with a total handicap of 8 goals or less.

MALLET/STICK The shaft is made from bamboo cane or graphite composite and the head from a hard wood. The wide face of the stick head is used to strike the ball and not the ends as in croquet. Polo sticks range in length according principally to the height of the pony played and extend from 48 - 54 inches. Medium-goal teams with a total

handicap of 12-15 goals. MILLIONAIRE’S SHOT A shot at the ball by an inexpert player when the ball is very close to the legs of the pony or striking it under the belly of the pony. So called because a high degree of skill and timing is required for both shots if the legs of the pony are to avoid being struck. It is assumed only millionaires with lots of ponies can afford to have a pony out of play because of injury and are, therefore, prepared to take the risk.

NEAR-SIDE The left-hand side of the pony. NECK-SHOT A ball which is hit under the pony’s neck.

OUT-OF-BOUNDS When a ball goes over the sideboards it is considered out-of-bounds. The umpire throws the ball in between the two teams lined up at the point at which the ball left the field of play. It is the equivalent to football’s throw-in. OFF-SIDE The right-hand side of the pony. There is no offside of players in polo.

PATRON A financially unchallenged amateur player who pays to put a team together, which is usually made up of at least two professionals and which is often named after the patron’s house, company or as a result of whimsy, such as Cannon Fodder. PENALTY A free hit is awarded when a foul is committed. The hit is taken from a set distance, dependent on the severity of the offence. Penalties and distances are: Penalty 1: automatic goal; Penalty 2: from 30 yards to an

open goal; Penalty 3: from 40 yards to an open goal; Penalty 4: from 60 yards to a defended goal; Penalty 5: from anywhere on the ground; Penalty 5b: from the centre of the ground. PONIES Although termed ponies, they are in fact horses, i.e. above the 14.2 hands height (hh) of a normally defined pony. Most are Argentine Criollo breed or pure or cross-bred Thoroughbreds. The main qualities are speed and stamina; the ability to accelerate, stop and turn quickly and temperaments that are amenable to the rigours of the game. There is no height limit for polo ponies, although most are between 15 and 15.3hh. Bandages and leg wraps are used for support and protection. Players admit that the pony can account for as much as 80% of their overall performance. POSITIONS Each of the four members of the team plays a distinctly different position. Since polo is such a fluid game players will momentarily change positions, but try to return to their original assignment. No 1: essentially a goal striker; No 2: a forward but played harder, especially on the defence; No 3: the pivotal player between attack and defence who tries to turn all plays to offence. He is usually the highest rated player of the team; No 4: the most defensive player whose primary responsibility is to protect the goal area.

QUARTET The number of players in a team.

RIDE OFF Two riders may make contact and push each other off the line of the ball to prevent the other from striking the ball. It is primarily intended for the ponies to do the pushing, but a player is allowed to use his body, but not his elbows. RINGER A player or pony that performs well above expectation.

SAFETY Also known as a Penalty 6, a safety is awarded when a defending player hits the ball over his own backline. The free shot is taken 60 yards out from the backline, opposite the point at which the ball went over. It is equivalent to a corner in football and no defender can be nearer than 30 yards from the ball when it is played.

SIDE BOARDS These are 9 – 11- inch high vertical boards along the sidelines only. Such boards are optional.

TAIL-SHOT Hitting the ball behind and under the pony’s rump.

TAKE HIM OUT Not an invitation,

but an exhortation to a team- mate to ride off an opponent and so take him away from the play. THIRD MAN The referee sitting on the sidelines who will arbitrate if the two mounted umpires on the field are unable to agree on a foul. TIME-OUT Called by an umpire when a foul is committed, an accident occurs or at his discretion. A player may call time- out if he has broken a key piece of tack or is injured. Time-out is not permitted for changing ponies or for replacing a broken stick, although a player may change both pony or stick at any time.

TREADING IN The replacement

of divots of turf at half-time. This is the duty of all spectators.

UMPIRES Two mounted umpires – one for each side of the field – who regulate the game. They usually wear black and white striped shirts. It is the responsibility of the teams to provide ponies for the umpires.

VIP The team patron!

WELLINGTONS Rubber boots ideal for treading in during wet weather. Usually green.

XTRA TIME In the event of a tied score at the end of the final chukka, there will be a five- minute break to allow the players to catch their breath and change ponies before beginning a sudden death chukka. The first team to score wins the match. In extra time the goals are usually widened by moving the goal posts another eight yards apart.

YOUR LINE Words often heard shouted by players to a team- mate indicating that he, rather than an opponent, has the principal right of way to the ball.

ZONE (safety) The area around the pitch that is out of bounds for spectators during game play.

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