Polo: Tight White Pants and Long Black Boots
Polo, invented by the Chinese and the Persians, perfected by the Moguls and discovered by the British in Burma in the 1850s. Played in England, Ireland, Argentina, the US and Australia. And of course, played at the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Polo has been part of the Sydney Royal Easter Show for decades, and to play in a 13,000 seat stadium is a thrill for both international and domestic polo players.
Polo is associated with royalty and the international playboy set. Princes Charles, William and Harry have all played the game, and fallen off their fair share of polo ponies.
Sometimes polo at the Sydney Royal has an international flavour, with invitational players from Argentina and the UK. The image of the snake-hipped Argentine polo player, glass of Cristal Champagne in hand, chatting to a blond at the members bar, is not too far from reality. However the Australian players representing the Queensland and NSW teams at the Sydney Royal this year play down the playboy image.
Dick Doolin, playing for NSW and originally from the border town of Goondiwindi, says if polo is an elite sport, it certainly is not because of the players. He says despite the involvement of Kerry and James Packer, it is not an elite sport in Australia. When asked why women seemed to find polo players attractive, Dick says “I dunno, its something to do with the long boots and white pants.”
So gentlemen, next time you are stepping out, cast aside the loafers and the slacks, and reach instead for the long boots and tight white pants.
It’s certainly not a sport for wimps. Astride a pony with an eye only for the ball, playing at speed and with plenty of horse and player contact, falls are common. And so are injuries. “Polo is a very physical sport and known for lots of breakages… most polo players have had a broken bone or two in their career. Broken legs, collar bones” says Dick .
The teams at Sydney Royal Easter Show are competing for Polo Gold Cup Perpetual Trophy. Want to know more about polo ? Visit the Australian Polo Council Website.
