While watching the second part of the St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship, one might notice a number of fouls early in the match. Understanding these fouls helps build greater awareness of how the game is played and why certain calls are made. Often, the referee will stop play briefly to assess a situation and either award a penalty or have the players hit the ball back in to resume the match.
Most polo fouls exist to protect the horses and to maintain the flow and safety of the game. With multiple horses moving at speed and approaching the ball from different angles, the “line of the ball” is critically important. This rule helps prevent dangerous perpendicular collisions. While some natural bumping is allowed, referees must judge whether an action crosses the line into unsafe or unfair play and warrants a penalty.
Several of these fouls were discussed during the broadcast, and you can read more about the specific penalties below.
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