Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-09-10
EXCITING PONY POLO.
The Game VIII he Played AT the Yer.
mont state Fair

opportunity In Vermont to witness the
exciting sport OF pony polo. The teams
| In the contests will be from squadron A
OF New York city and from the Myopia
| Hunt club OF Boston.
Pony polo Is one of the most interest
| Ing OF sports. 1t keeps the spectators
attention rivcted on the sport every min
ute. AS the game is new in this section
n brief description will prove valuable to
the reader
The game is played by four men on
each side. mounted on ponies, and is very
similar to football or hockey. II is UNI
| doubtedly the most exciting and danger
| Gus game. both to the players and tho
ponies, that Ia played.
The field liz about 900 feet long and 40
feet wide, with boards running alorg
each side, about eight inches high. to
keep the ball from going out of bounds
as much as possible. 1t should be as
smooth as the best green lawn At both
ends of the field are goal posts q feet
apart and about 10 feet high. The object
is for one team to knock the ball through
the opposing goal. and of the other team
to prevent 1t.
The game originated in India, and was
from there introduced into England.
where it is played quite extensively. es-
in the United States for the last 20 years
although not very extensively largely IL
is believed. on account of the time 1t
takes TO enable person to become pro-
ficient in the game, and the expense in
| cidont thereto.
The ponies form very important part
&c
he able to stop while at fun speed i'm
medlately, start in another direction at
the will of the rider and good tourna
ment pony Is worth anywhere from $3.50
to $1,000 Although these ponies are the
best that can be bought, and are trained
and cared for as carefully as race
horse, yet each player requires at least
-four ponies to last through a game. as
they are running continually. 1t will,
therefore. be seen that it Is not only an
exciting and dangerous game but an ex-
pensive one.
on each team, composed of four play
ers, there is what is known as position
one. position two. position three and
back who guards the goal.
The play is commenced by the opposing
No I. No. and No. lining up side ny
side in the middle of the field, the backs
being about 20 feet nearer their respective
goals. The ball. which is wooden.
and similar to a croquet ball is thrown
in upon the ground between the players,
and each side tries to drive it between
the goal posts of their opponents
The mallet used is similar to a croquet
mallet, although the handle. which is
made out OF cane, is long enough to per
NIT the player on the pony to hit the
ball on the ground. The head of the NAL
let is a little longer than a croquet NAL
let's head. and smaller round. and the
ball is hit on the side of the head.
The player who Is in position No |,
unless he hits the ball when It is thrown
in. Immediately rides up against the op-
posing back, sticks by the back until
goal is made or the bail goes out Of
bounds. and tries to prevent the back
from hitting the ball. He can do this
either by reaching out and hooking his
mallet. or by riding his pony into the
pony OF the other one. and crowding him
off the ball. II no can.
The players who are in positions No. 2
and No. try to keep In the middle of
the game as much possible. and hit
the ball TO each other or up to their No.
-,
- ..''' ON ~ .'ie
~
Wv e"a''' ~ '' "o opp"''e
'"VN ", a. 4'' p''', CIV
at goal.
- ''' e"''e
'"'' ~ """
'u' ''N 80 - "'''
no no n
'ie i1"s''"'' ""' p''' Vs. '''' ~
,
'ee! ""'e W 'e"' vac '0"'' ,C""''
w.
e'' e'u''
" ''u - " ' go fo,''
at Wv
pong 70 ''
an" ~ ''''' " 80 ''''' ~
''' o'',''o' " VIC a. a 40
a"h"' INV VI "'''"H '", p'"' Va '''' up
i'''e"" 80 " WA '''S
pony anu "o'A ms '"'' '''"''e'
''"'' '' ''o"'" i''''' '''' ~,
9''"hc oe"e u ''"'
ole- ma" s''' - ''""," ''''' ''e '0o'e
o' ''e .''e ma ",ne Wv
IL VIII ne re"ui's seen '''"' 10 MI th'S
can "'"''u VI o"'N o. W. VIM '"e pony
Is iu''''"e ~ 'u'' 'po'' ''P aHy VA '"o
'ish sue, ie'u'.,' '-''oo." ''e'' anu :"
graz "e'' VI 'H''' "'.N -
lhere are ~ pe''o's 81 SIX minutes
,,,oss ,ho I'm T.. 49,.
is SOUNDED ana uh'ess the Dai' IN the
J"' "'e"' VI '"e - "a
p'''''''' "' " ~
"e."''" ."e 60. 'O . o.''e'
ne o'o"S mo ""''' '.' son. '.ups