On Saturday, June 9, 2012
The beaches of Muskegon hosted the first ever Michigan Beach Polo Match
The day had a special focus on all things Michigan, featuring local food, wines, fashion, and vendors with proceeds going to the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.
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| Here we are enjoying this Fabulous Event |
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Beach Polo
If your not sure about the game....either was I so before the event I did a little research and found it is a close variant of arena polo. Consists of two three-player teams as opposed to the usual four-player teams in field polo. A game consists of four seven minute periods of play, called chukkers. Beach Polo is played in an enclosed sand arena with sideboards of approximately four feet in height, designed to keep the ball in play. Depending on playing areas available, some of the playing arenas have enclosed ends while others allow for 20 yards of run out room for the horses, past the end line, and utilize standing goal posts.
If your not sure about the game....either was I so before the event I did a little research and found it is a close variant of arena polo. Consists of two three-player teams as opposed to the usual four-player teams in field polo. A game consists of four seven minute periods of play, called chukkers. Beach Polo is played in an enclosed sand arena with sideboards of approximately four feet in height, designed to keep the ball in play. Depending on playing areas available, some of the playing arenas have enclosed ends while others allow for 20 yards of run out room for the horses, past the end line, and utilize standing goal posts.
Umpires are suggested for tournament play which may be stationed outside the arena to officiate the game. Penalties are called and resulting free hits are awarded to the fouled party.
Traditional polo ponies are used with players changing horses following each chukker.
Unlike the hard plastic ball used in field polo, beach polo employs a leather or rubber inflated ball.( they used a small volleyball) Other equipment employed is the same as that used in field or arena polo.
Dubai's Rashid Al Habtoor and Sam Katiela have been credited with the creation of the game in 2004, followed by the Miami Beach Polo World Cup in the United States in 2005. Additional tournaments and matches have arisen in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, England, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, The Netherlands, Uruguay and Wales.
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| The Polo Ponies |
