Pueblo chieftain., 1921-03-20


in the accessibility of procuring pom
les that can be easily trained for polo,
but all of southern Colorado is aptly
adapted to furnishing polo ponies.
Not only is this section particularly
adapted for the formation of a polo
team. or teams, by the fact that pom
les are easily. procured. but by the
natural lay of the land. and players
who are familiar with the game may
be found in Pueblo.
Polo is not a complicated game. 1t
Is easy to watch, and for the benefit
of the ordinary sports reader a gen.
eral outline of the game is given:
The Eame is played on Il smoothly
rolled green, or skin course, when
possible about $50 feet long and 500
feet wide. A white board ten inches
high forms boundary along the sides
of tho course, the ends being OPEN
except that in the center OF each end
there stand two goal posts "a feet
apart, made of very light material SO
as TO break easily in case of collision.
The ball is Eastwood painted white
3is inches in diameter, and weighs
hve ounces. The mallets. or sticks.
are generally of Malacca cane. or other
light wood, covered at the handle with
rubber or leather, and from fifty to
nifty six inches hong. The mallet head
is cignr shaped. two inches thick AMI
wood, and fixed on the handle at any
angle the player finds most effective
to his wrist action. The malletS weigh
from Is to 20 ounces.
The ponies are not limited to any
particular breed. but those broken to
the game give the players an advan-
tsEe.
The game can be played with two or
three, and preferably, four players to
tho side. II two play on each side tho
periods are two OF Is minutes duration
each. Two minutes rest is given after
each goal and FIVE minutes between
each period. Tmee and four men
teams play four periods of fifteen min
utes each. with a seven minutes rest
between them, and a two minutes rest
after each goal
A referee is chosen. who watches tho
game from a pony's back. The teams
toss for position on the field. The
captain usually takes tho position OF
back. or defender OF tho goal From
this position he watches and directs
his team. In front OF him is the half
back" and tho two forwards are close
up to the opposing team. Play begins
as the referee throws the ball. or. in
the case II Is decided to open the game
with a charge. the teams are ordered
back to within thirty feet OF the goals.
The ball is then dropped in the center
OF the field. and at the sound of tho
time keeper s nell all fusn lcr a slTlhc.
and the game is on.
A player may not. with his hand or
stick. touch an opponent. or his hand
or stick. nor must he put his stick
under an opponents horse. In rid
ing on, that IS. crowding an oppon- |
cnt away from the ball, player must
not push or strike with his arm or
elbow. When the ball goes out OF
bounds. over the side line. It is thrown
back at tho point 1t crossed. the play
crs lining UP as at the beginning OF
the game. When a ball crosses the
end line. without passing between tho
goal posts. the side defending the goal
has the privilege of q knock -out from
the place the bali left tho boundary
Of the field. When a player knocks
tho ball out at the end where his goal
Is situated, 1t Is safety knockout
and counts 4 point for tho opposing
side. II tho ball is caroned out or
kicked out by pony 1t does not thus
count score.
A player in possession of the ball.
he who hit II last has the right of
way, and must not be crossed at
safe distance.
The system of handicapping. as adop- |
tod by the American Polo association |
is universally used. In order to give |
the younger players a chance, each in |
dividual is Handicapped. or penaltzed, |
with so many goals, from two upward. |
according to his skill. This penalty |
he takes with him where ever he goes |
SO that If a penalty on a team OF four |
amounts to Is goals, and they meet |
team whose aggregated penalties are 1
only 10, tho first team has to make |
goals before Il can begin to score. This |
penalty does not count in n champion |
ship or open game.
Polo is a rough. exciting game. The |
breaking of sticks and the unseating |
of riders is a frequent occurance. Fresh |
ponies are usually used each period. |
as the game is fast. II brings out the
natural instinct of the horse, who |
seems to enter fully into the spirit of
tho contest