Polo is one of the fastest growing spectator sports in Australia, yet many people who come to matches are lost in "socialising" and miss the thrill of the actual sport. Rather than watching the ball, watch the actions of players as they try to anticipate the next direction of play. It's much easier to make a horse run fast than to slow him down or turn him quickly. You know you are watching good polo when you see long downfield dribbles and air shots where players pick up a pass in mid-air. Both are difficult to execute astride a horse moving at 60 k per hour.

Play commences with two teams of four players, each brandishing a mallet and lined up parallel to each other in the centre of the field. The umpire bowls the ball between the lines of players. With passes to team mates, speed and manoeuvring, each team tries to score by knocking the ball through the opposite side's goal posts.

The game is divided into six chukkas, each lasting 7 minutes plus up to 30 seconds in overtime. If during the 30 seconds the ball hits the sideboards or goes out of bounds, or if the empire blows his whistle, the chukka is over. There is no overtime at the end of the sixth chukka unless the score is tied, at which time a seventh period of "sudden death" will be played. During the chukka frequent and dramatic hindrances are unavoidable and some are allowed. These include hooking the mallet of the man hitting the ball, riding into him (bump), provided the angle of impact is not excessively dangerous; gently riding next to him and pushing him off his course, but not with the elbow and simply outrunning him to the ball before the next shot.