Skip to main content

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)
  • Handley Cross (9 - under 14)
  • Hipwood (11 - under 14)
  • Surtees (9 - under 15)
  • Rocksavage (13 - under 18)
  • Loriner/Rendell (14 - under 21)
  • Langford (under 21) min handicap -2
  • Gannon (under 21) min handicap -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.

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. 

There are funds available (targeted at U14s) to help Branches/Centres get started in Polo - Click here for more information

PC Polo Newsletters

The PC Polo Committee issue regular newsletters to help Branches and Centres take part in Polo as much as possible. Please see the Polo Packs below.

PC Polo Newsletter Spring 2022 Iss2
PDF - 619 kB

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!

Find out more in the Rulebook which can be purchased here.

Other ways to play polo:

Polo Rulebook
Polo Rule Book 2023
PDF - 940 kB

Polo Contacts

Laura Armstrong
Sports Officer
T 02476 698300 option 2
Charles Whittington
Polo Chairman (Volunteer)