Polo

Polo is a team sport played on horseback  on polo ponies. The objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Players score by hitting a small white ball into the opposing team's goal using a long mallet. The traditional sport of polo traces its roots back to the beginning of the first millennium. The game of polo was first used as a training exercise for cavalry units. Over time, polo was developed into a team sport that is played professionally in over 16 counties.

There are two major types of polo games. The traditional game is field polo which is played on a large grass field 300 yards long by 160 yards wide with each polo team having four riders and their mounts.  In arena polo, three players are required per team. Arena polo requires more maneuvering and shorter plays at lower speeds.  In contrast, field polo is a fast paced game than arena polo.

The Royal Canadian Riding Academy hosted the Cedar Valley Polo for Learning charity event on May 30, 2014. The VIP charity event was organized to promote the sport of polo and foster learning and knowledge of the game for younger players. To see additional images of the event visit the Gallery

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