That is the opinion of Andrew Williams of Willo Polo, a former Australia polo player and captain. Williams has been playing for nearly 35 years.

He told The Examiner everything novice polo spectators need to know about the sport ahead of this weekend’s Barnbougle Polo.  

Rules: 

“The rules are like you’re travelling down a highway – people can travel down the right-hand side of the ball and you can’t drive up the wrong side of the road,” Williams said. 

“The line of the ball, that we respect, is like a double set of yellow lines on the road.” 

Williams said the rules are predominantly in place to allow for horse safety.  

“People can fall off, but there aren’t as many accidents as you think. People can also fall off push bikes,” he said. 

Team: 

Each team has four players, who each have a role. 

In AFL terms, Williams said a number one player is generally like a full forward or a goal shooter. A number two is like a rover and is someone who plays all over the field. 

A number three player would be “the general” and must be able to “attack the ball”. Player four is a defender. 

“Not only is polo a team sport with four players, there is also another team level beneath that which is between the rider and the horse,” Williams said. 

“To play polo at a professional level, your horses have to be like formula one cars, they have to be finely tuned.”

Commonly heard terms: 

Backhand: is a stroke played with the back of the hand facing in the direction of the stroke, with the arm across the body.

Open: is basically hitting the ball away from the horse backwards.

Tail: is hitting the ball behind the horse’s tail.

Chukkas: Polo’s term for a ‘quarter’. The games on the weekend will be six chukkas of seven minutes. 

Fun facts: