Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Yobot (talk | contribs) at 22:54, 11 October 2014 (WP:CHECKWIKI error fixes using AWB (10479)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Hobby Horse Polo (Template:Lang-de) is a mixed team sport played on hobby horses. Similarly to other polo variants, such as canoe polo, cycle polo, camel polo, elephant polo, golfcart polo, Segway polo, auto and yak polo, it uses parts of the polo rules but has its own specialities.

Origin

Hobby Horse Polo originated in 1998 as a mockery of "polite society" in Heidelberg-Neuenheim, which led in 2002 to the foundation of the First Kurfürstlich-Kurpfälzisch Polo-Club in Mannheim. It has since become a trendy sport with various teams in German cities and gained some notoriety in the press.

However, playing polo with hobby horses has been described as a children's game in classical polo regions. Hugh van Skyhawk, an Indologist and professor of Islamic studies in Mainz and Islamabad described hobby horse polo played by young boys as part of the ceremonies of the traditional Gindni (harvest preparations) festival in Hispar. Hispar is a remote Karakoram village in Pakistans (disputed, due to the Kashmir conflict) Gilgit–Baltistan region. The melody starting the game is called 'Hariipe Galawdr' in the local Burushaski language isolate.

2013 the Grütlihüüler Guggenmusik from Allenwinden (Baar, Switzerland) organized the first Steckenpferdpolo on Swiss soil.

Rules

The objective is to score goals against an opposing team. The goals are traditionally marked by bar stools in width and height, however simple streethockey goals do the job as well. Players score by driving a small soft baseball into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled crocket mallet. A full match takes 6 x 6 minute long chukkas and each team may consist of 6 persons (depending of the size of the field and amount of interest). Minimum size of the field is 30 m length and 15m width. A 'last man' rule applies, as any player may act as goalkeeper. As players need some protection against possible injuries, cleated shoes and shin guards are recommanded. The mallets should be stable and are often taped to reduce risk of loosing the hammer head. Its prefered to hit the ball, but not other players. Instead of a classical cup, winners of tournaments gain a cheesecake.

Each game starts with the teams in line behind the own goal and the ball in the midfield. On the umpires command "Polo Go", the teams gallop against each other, in one hand their mallets, in the other their hobby horses, which have to be lead between the legs of the player. It is not allowed to kick or stop the ball by foot.

Fouls, failures to gallop or to listen to the umpires are being treated by a "punitive sherry" (variously vodka, Brottrunk or Jägermeister based on the taste of the umpire) which has to be drunk on the spot. The German rules allow for hobbling under the influence, but require, quoting a Monty Python walking gag 'It has to look particullarly silly'.

Swiss rules for ball in and out of play and the use of free kicks and time outs are closer to association football and do not involve punitive sherries; instead free hits or penalties are applied for fouls. As the Swiss cavalry tradition keepers from Kavallerieverein Zug had been involved in the first tournament, riding boots are permitted but spurs are explicitly forbidden as well as the production of "road apples" on the field by either horse or rider. However Swiss teams must confirm goals by neighing.

There have been no allegations of cruel treatment of hobby horses so far. As well PETA has not yet been involved, contrary as in the case of elephant Polo.

References

1. Carlebach, Michael (2011). Bain's New York: The City in News Pictures 1900-1925. New York: Courier. p. 143. ISBN 9780486478586.
2. Express June 23 2013
3. Rheinpfalz July 25 2008
4. ^ Trendsportart Steckenpferdpolo: Ich glaub', mein Gaul holzt, Spiegel September 2014
5. ^ Hugh van Skyhawk, Burushaski-Texte aus Hispar: Materialien zum Verständnis einer archaischen Bergkultur in Nordpakistan, Beiträge zur Indologie 38, Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz, 2003, ISBN 9783447046459, p. 196 Template:De icon
6. Background of Skyhawk in South Asian Sufis: Devotion, Deviation, and Destiny, Clinton Bennett, Charles M. Ramsey (ed), p. viii, A&C Black, 01.03.2012
7. Steckenpferdpolo 2013, article in Zugerbieter
8. ^ Rules of the Game, German, at the Erster Kurfürstlich-Kurpfälzisch Polo-Club Mannheim website
9. Freude am Blödsinn: Steckenpferd-Polo mit Straf-Sherrys RP online, 27. September 2014 Düsseldorf
10. ^ Grütlihüüler Rules
11. Richa Shukla, TNN Feb 3, 2011, 12.00am IST (2011-02-03). "For the record: No elephant polo - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-02-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
12. "'Cruel' elephant polo match cancelled in Jaipur". Telegraph. 2011-08-21. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
13. "Elephant Polo Tournament Canceled in India Over Cruelty Concerns". The Jakarta Globe. Retrieved 2013-02-06.

External links

• Rules of the Game, German, at the Erster Kurfürstlich-Kurpfälzisch Polo-Club Mannheim website
• Picture Gallery Düsseldorf tournament
• Frankfurter Rundschau Gallery
• TV report in Maintower, Hessen TV boulevard program 2008
• RTL TV about the Frankfurt tournament 2008
• ZDF Drehscheibe

• Children's games
• Polo
• Sport in Germany
• German comedy and humour
• Sport in Switzerland