Polo

What is Polo?

Polo is like hockey on horseback! You have to hit the ball into the goal with your polo stick. Each game is played between two teams with four players on each side. The game is divided into short, six minutes parts known as Chukkas. The more experienced you are, the more chukkas there are in a game.

Pony Club Polo is split into different sections:

  • Jorrocks (6 – under 11)
  • Jorrocks on Polo Ponies (6 – under 11)
  • Handley Cross (9 – under 14)
  • Hipwood (11 – under 14)
  • Surtees (9 – under 15)
  • Loriner/Rendell (14 – under 21)
  • Langford (under 21, min HC -2)
  • Gannon (under 21, min HC -1)

Jorrocks and Handley Cross are played on general Pony Club ponies that must attend non-polo rallies. In all other sections, polo ponies can be used.

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Polo Rulebook 2024

How Do I Progress Further?

The main Pony Club polo season takes place in July and the start of August ending with The Pony Club Polo Championships, which are held at the prestigious Cowdray Park Polo Club, West Sussex.

Any teams can attend friendly tournaments to practise, have fun and work towards qualifiers which run just before the Championships.

Jorrocks teams (6 – under 11) must take part in TWO qualifying tournaments to be able to play at the Championships, all other age groups must go to THREE qualifying tournaments to be able to go to the Championships.

The Championships take place in August and is a full weekend of polo for all ages!

How Do I Get Involved?

Many Pony Club Branches and Centres offer Polo as an activity and put on training sessions to start Members off.

If your Branch or Centre doesn’t offer Polo as an activity then please contact The Pony Club Office who can give you more information on setting up Polo and put you in touch with a Polo playing Pony Club and the Polo Committee who can support with setting up.

 

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Key Competitions & Events

Polo Tournaments 

There are a variety of Polo Tournaments held throughout the year at many different venues across the UK, including both Arena and Summer Tournaments. These friendly tournaments are open to all declared teams and are a good chance to practise as teams and get to know your competitors. Teams must take part in THREE Qualifier tournaments to be in with a chance of playing at the Championships.

Polo Championships

The Polo Championships are the final tournament in The Pony Club Polo season, they are a full weekend of polo for all ages! To qualify for this event, please read the above (except the Jorrocks only have to take part in two).

Tournament Schedule 2024/2025 PC Polo Championships JOR/JOPPS Results 2024 PC Polo Championships Results 2024
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Polo Training Grants

Martin Treves Training Grant

A generous donation has been made by Emma Treves to support the development and growth of youth polo through training and taster days. Emma’s father, Martin Treves, was an amateur player who played on ponies he trained himself and Emma is keen to encourage youngsters to play on their Pony Club ponies. This grant is therefore for members who intend playing Jorrocks or Handley Cross on their own ponies and may be claimed for as many seasons as they play Handley Cross or Jorrocks.

The Polo Charity Grant

A generous donation has been made by the Polo Charity towards the cost of training new players. This grant is available to members in their first year of training on Polo ponies.

How to Apply

To apply for either of these grants, please read the information below carefully and follow the links in the information to the application forms.

Important Grant Information 2024
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Hurlingham Polo Association

The Hurlingham Polo Association is the governing body for polo in the UK, Ireland and many other parts of the Commonwealth. The HPA is responsible for the rules and regulations under which the game is played. The object of the HPA is to further the interest in the game of polo and support, by all possible means, the common interests of its affiliated clubs and associations. For more information please see the HPA website.

 

HPA Website

Contacts

 

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Laura Armstrong

Lead Sports Officer
T: 02476 698300 option 2 E: polo@pcuk.org
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Justin Stanhope-White

Polo Chairman (Volunteer)
E: polochairman@pcuk.org