Polo Match

Polo Match In Gilgit Baltistan: Polo Match is an interesting game which plays between two teams who ride horses taking wooden hammers in hand to hit a ball, towards score goal. Polo Match is a game played on horseback down a grass field and between two goal posts. Polo Match is the game of Kings “Badshahon ka khel” and is the unique and most traditional game. Currently, the traditional freestyle polo played in Gilgit-Baltistan. Local Government organizes various Polo Match Tournaments throughout the year.

 Polo Match Started From

Although, the exact origins of the Polo Match game is not known by anyone. According to the people of GB, the polo originated from Gilgit Baltistan as the polo is a Tibetan word which is used by Balti people. Polo is one of the oldest  sport.  Historically, it originated from the Tibetan “Pholo” meaning “ball”. History said that, in 1869, the first game in Britain was organised on Hounslow Heath by officers stationed at Aldershot, one of whom had read about the game in a local magazine. Firstly, official written rules were not created, however later one by Irishman Captain John Watson of the British Cavalry 13th Hussars wrote the rules until the 19th Century.

Polo Match Rules : Polo Match In Gilgit Baltistan

In Polo Match game, each team has six players on horse but when the game is restricted to an enclosed stadium, six players take part on each team. There are no season for polo match like as football, cricket and hockey due to the ability for it to be played indoors as well as out. Recently, a its variation on the game is “snow polo”, However, considered separate from the traditional polo game due to these differences.

Polo Match Equipment.

In Polo Match some most important equipment are protective helmet, riding boots and a team shirt bearing the number of his position, spurs and carry a whip. The ball for outdoor polo is made of willow root about 8.3 cm in diameter and weighing about 113.4 g. There is a wrapped grip with a webbed thong for wrapping around the hand and a flexible bamboo (Bentha) cane shaft with a bamboo head 9-1/2 inches in length, the whole weighing about 7.5 ounces and varying from 48 to 53 inches.

Polo Match International

In 1886, the first international polo matches took place when the United States unsuccessfully challenged the British. This polo  Cup was contested 9 additional times, with the Americans winning in 1914. The second international meeting was organized in 1971, when the United States defeated England for the cup, a single game rather than three polo game match, thereafter held every year.

Polo Match Shandur Festival

A sports festival Shandur Polo Festival is held annually during the 2nd week of the month of July at Shandur, Pakistan. This tournament is very famous among the world as a polo match. Usually, the polo tournament plays between the teams of Chitral and GB following the freestyle rules.

The event/festival organize and finance by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government. The Shandur polo match ground is the world highest polo ground at an altitude of 3,750 meters. This festival also looks beautiful due to folk music, dancing and a camping. Shandur Polo Festival is one of the big polo and cultural festivals in Pakistan. Most of the tourist fix the date of their visit during these week when it went to start the Shandur. Camping at Shandur is also a good topic / activity for the tourist due to its high attitude and greenary.

The history claims that the initiation of Polo in Shandur is credit goes to Balti Raja Ali Sher Khan Anchan (late) of Skardu, who built the polo ground of Shandur as well. This festival invites visitors to experience a traditional polo tournament since 1936 has been held annually in the first week of July between the local polo teams of Gilgit and Chitral. The ex-Army Chief and President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharaf was a fan of this event / tournament. During the event, maximum number people attend the festival while enjoying with other activities like camping, hiking, skiing and mountainareeing.

The juries chooses the best horse and player on the day of final day, During the course of the tournament, various teams of Chitral and Gilgit participates in the game/tournament. battle it out on the polo field. Each team has six members with 2-4 reserve players in case of injury. The match duration is usually 90 minutes. It is divided into two halves, with a 30 minutes interval. The locals enthrall the audiences with traditional and cultural dances and their cultural foods. More goals, decides in favour of the team scoring. Usually in Baltistan region, after the 12 goals, the match ends and will win the team which goals 12. The people of Gilgit Baltistan plays this game throughout the year. In Balti language the playing stick is called bentha and the ball is called polo. Being expensive, the people can not buy the horses, only rich people can buy these horses. Therefore, it is also called the game of King. 

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