Written by Sophia Swarr
Professional Photography by: Elizabeth A. Hedley
Polo is a rough, fast-paced sport that has been around for centuries. At first, it was a training drill for the cavalry units in Persia (Iran) between the 6th century BC and 1st Century AD. Eventually, it became a Persian sport played by noble people. Polo spread as a sport from Persia to Arabia, Tibet, China, and then Japan. The sport was introduced to India by Muslim conquerors in the 13th century, and soon after to the first Europeans, British tea planters in Assam. They created the first European Polo Club in 1859 at Silchar. Polo matches in Hurlingham and Richmond Park attracted more than 10,000 spectators by 1875. By 1896 there would be eight players per side, and almost no rules, making gameplay wild and difficult. It was introduced to the military and stuck with them while spreading to universities. It was also popular with nobility and royalty.
In 1876, the first polo matches were played in the United States. They were informal affairs in New York City. A year later, matches occurred at Jerome Park racetrack in Westchester County. The number of players was eventually reduced to four in the US in 1881 and has been that way ever since. Today, polo is quite a popular sport in Kennett Square. Crosby Wood, a family friend, has years of polo and horse-riding experience and shared his expertise.
Crosby grew up riding horses, and foxhunting helped him perfect his riding technique. His parents decided on polo lessons for him after friends talked them into it. He typically plays at Brandywine Polo Club in Toughkenamon. The club was founded in 1950 by James McHugh. Crosby enjoys polo very much; though it is not a sport for the faint of heart. It is fast-paced and aggressive, with just a few players on a big field. Players must rush to the plastic, rubber, or nylon ball, and swing their bamboo mallet to hit it between two goalposts. The game is more challenging because the players are all on horseback.
There is immense training that goes into training a “Polo Pony.” If you train a newborn, the horse must be tamed or “broken,” to be ridden. However, Polo Ponies are usually horses coming from the racetrack. Therefore they must be taught to turn, stop, and be more physical so they can carry their player to the ball without getting scared of running into fallen players, or other horses. They are called “Polo Ponies,” but they are slightly bigger than ponies, yet smaller than horses to prevent too many falling injuries. Mares, or female horses, are more aggressive than male horses. The horses must be courageous and well-trained, whether they’re being ridden in an arena or outdoors.
Polo season is underway, but if the outdoor fields are wet, teams can play in a polo arena which is like an indoor baseball arena with an open top. According to Crosby, indoor polo is a whole new game. It is incredibly fun, and it is easier to get started. An arena polo ball is leather, inflated, and easier to hit. On the other hand, outdoor polo is more pure and gets a bigger crowd. The size of the crowd depends on the teams playing. The teams that are playing depend on the tournament. One team Crosby plays for is Landhope, based in Kennett Square, PA. He notes that someone more serious about polo may just play for their own team. Once the teams are assembled before the game, they decide their positions, together. Unlike other team sports, the positions are numbered rather than named. There are 1, 2, 3, and 4. Positions 1 and 2 are offensive, 3 is midfield, and 4 is qualified as defense. This can be confusing if you’re not familiar with polo.
When asked, “How often do horses get injured”, his answer was surprising. Despite the obvious dangers of the game, he conveyed that players and horses don’t get injured often at all. He says, “The hope is that they leave the way they entered [and] that they get home in one piece.” On the contrary, when asked what makes polo a good sport, he simply expressed that it’s the adrenaline rush. Polo is a sport for those who like hand-eye coordination. It is fast-paced but also requires vast patience for some positions; and although polo is complicated, he says, “It’s like a drug. You can’t get enough of it.”
