A Lesson on Polo: Morven Park Hosts Weekly Arena Polo This Summer
Written by William Anderson
Hockey season is over. Basketball season is over. The World Cup is drawing to a close, and football is still weeks away. If you’re looking for a new spectator sport, arena polo may be the answer. Every Saturday this summer, Morven Park is hosting Polo in the Park. This is a live event packed with action and horsemanship. If you know nothing about polo, fear not; it’s easy to follow. “It’s like watching a hockey match. It’s like hockey on horses,” Morven Park CEO and Director Stacey Metcalfe describes.
In arena polo, players ride highly trained horses, traditionally called polo ponies. The game differs significantly from traditional field polo. “A lot of times people think it’s the fancy polo, the grass fields. Here, this is called arena polo,” says Metcalfe. The arena is about 100 yards long on a sand-based surface, while grass polo is often played on a field more than 700 yards in length. The teams are also smaller; each team has three riders. The object of the game is simply to score more goals than the opposing team by striking the polo ball with a mallet between the goal posts. After each goal, the teams switch sides. Like in hockey or soccer, each goal is worth one point. However, there is a special two-point goal if a rider shoots from beyond 25 yards and the ball does not touch another player or horse.
The game is divided into four quarters called chukkers, which are each 7 minutes and 30 seconds long. These are called chukkers because at the beginning of each one, the polo ball is chucked into the arena. Riders switch horses at the end of each chukker to avoid overworking the horses. After the first two chukkers, there is a halftime when the arena is dragged by a tractor. “That is our Zamboni,” Metcalfe says.
One of the most important regulations is called the line-of-the-ball rule. When the ball is struck, it creates an imaginary line along its trajectory. The player closest to that line has the right of way. Other players cannot cut dangerously across that line.
Armed with these basics of arena polo, anyone can enjoy a night at Polo in the Park. Last Saturday, Morven Park held its celebrity match featuring Argentine polo player Nacho Figueras. Figueras is one of the most famous polo players in the world and a model for Ralph Lauren. He has often been called the face of polo. On Saturday, he squared off against his wife, Delphina Figueras, and his son, Artemio Figueras. Nacho rode for Salesforce, while his wife and son rode for Hotels at Sea. The game was intensely competitive. At one point, Artemio picked up the ball and bounced it on his mallet almost the full length of the arena before scoring. “If I win, my wife said I will be sleeping in the garden,” Nacho said at halftime. As the clock wound down, the announcer debated whether he would win and sleep in the garden or let his wife and son beat him. With 15 seconds left in the final chukker, Nacho made his move. Down one goal, he hit an incredible shot to tie the game as the clock hit zero, successfully dodging the whole dilemma.
Morven Park has seating on a grassy bank right next to the arena. Kids are allowed to lean right up against the fence surrounding the arena so they can get close to the action. At the end of the game, Nacho Figueras rode along the fence, giving them all high fives. Metcalfe highlights Polo in the Park as a great family event. “Nobody has their phone out, except to take pictures. It’s really family-friendly fun,” she says. Morven Park also provides a handout with the rules, making it easy to watch. “We want people to love the sport.” ML
Featured photo by Doug Feuerbach.
Posted on: July 16, 2026