Polo Lingo Impress your friends with your polospeak. Here are some basic definitions to show you’re in the know.* Back Shot: Backhand swing; changing the flow of play by sending the ball in the opposite direction Check and Turn: To slow the pony and turn safely Chukker: A period of play in polo, seven and a half minutes long; there are six chukkers in a polo match. Handicap: Team play is handicapped on the basis of ability; a team’s handicap is the total of its players’ goal ratings. The team with the lower handicap is awarded the difference in goals at the start of the match.
Hall is ready to swing at his hometown grounds. Photo by Nick Garcia
Arizona Porsche Concours D’Elegance and a sneak preview of the 43rd Annual BarrettJackson Car Auction. The all-day event features various ticket levels, and groups can even drive their car fieldside and enjoy the
match from their tailgate with special tickets. Says Hall, “The organizers are doing a good job. I’m excited to come out.” To learn more about the event, visit thepoloparty.com.
What to Wear to a
Polo Match
As a posh international sport, dressing for a polo match is an event unto itself. Here are a few suggestions on how to be comfortable and smartly attired while watching the game. Gals, ditch the stiletto heels. Polo is held on a field, and you’ll inevitably walk on grass to get there. Pulling one’s heels out of the dirt is no fun. Opt for a platform wedge heel or an embellished flat for safety, comfort, and élan. Wear a hat. A polo match is an outdoor sporting event, so sun protection is a must.
Wear a chic wide-brimmed hat that offers sun protection and style. This is not the Kentucky Derby, so leave elaborate, feathered, multitiered affairs behind. Men, a chapeau isn’t a bad idea for you either. Oh, and don’t forget a pair of sunglasses. Add a dash of panache. While the Valley polo scene doesn’t yet have the cachet of, say, Palm Beach or Santa Barbara, it’s a still a highsociety sport. Dress appropriately. If in doubt, Google “What to wear to a polo match.”
Hands: Unit of measure for the height of a horse; one hand equals about four inches. Hook: Catching an opponent’s mallet in swing below the level of the horse’s back; to leave or turn the ball for a teammate. Leave It: To ride past the line produced by the ball so that the teammate behind can hit it. Offside: The right-hand side of the polo pony. Polo Pony: Horses used in polo are often referred to as “ponies,” but that’s in reference to their agile type rather than their size. Pony Goal: When a polo pony causes the ball to go through the goal post. Stick: The polo mallet. Tail Shot: Hitting the ball behind and under the horse’s rump. *
sportpolo.com
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