FORT SILL, Okla. -- "Hockey on horseback" was the common remark from spectators at Sunday's Fort Sill Polo Classic. The two four-man teams showed their athleticism as they traversed the field and maneuvered their ponies as if they were on their own two feet.
They raced after the ball wielding their mallets to the excitement of the crowd. As each player moved the ball down Polo Field, the sidelines were busied with fancy hats and folding chairs. Hundreds decided to spend part of their Mother's Day celebration enjoying the first polo match on post since 1968.
"I think it's important for us as a community, as a post, to know where our roots are and know why this is important to us," said Maj. Gen. David Halverson, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general.
According to Towana Spivey, Fort Sill museum director and curator, the cavalry at Fort Sill formed the first polo team in the U.S. Army in 1893 using Indian ponies. When the cavalry was replaced by field artillery in 1907, polo continued as an important equestrian activity at Fort Sill and throughout the Army.
Professional polo player Josh Kyles, from Bixby, Okla., helped organize the event bringing together teams of players originally from all over the world including Argentina, France and the Dominican Republic to play as Team Oklahoma and Team Texas. Kyles is a member of the U.S. Polo Association and although many are unfamiliar to the sport, for him it's part of a family tradition.
"My daddy brought me into it when I was about 10 years old. He used to play and he just kind of handed me his saddle and boots and I took off," said Kyles.
Like many others in attendance, Army spouse Laura Garifo said her only impression of the sport prior to the event was what she had seen in the movie "Pretty Woman."
For that reason, the master of ceremony explained the rules as the match progressed.
"I think it's really cool. They're practically checking each other on their horses. I never thought the horses would get so close and actually nudge each other," said Garifo."It's a jumble of horses and men."
The nudging she referred to is a defense technique known as bumping. It's used to break an opposing player's concentration or to move him off the line of the ball.
"We bump a lot and it's definitely dangerous," said Kyles. But he said as highly trained as the players are, so, too, are their horses.
"It takes about two years to really get them going to where they can play games like this. Several of them take four or five years," said Kyles.
Toward the end of the third chukker, Sidro Olivas's pony slipped while running and landed on top of him. The horse immediately ran back to the stables as the emcee said it knew where to go. Olivas was injured but able to walk off the field. He returned to play after halftime while the audience got to join in on the festivities for the ceremonial divot stomping.
Not only did it afford those in attendance a chance to socialize but it helped repair the field for the second half of play.
The players changed out horses once again and after their short break they were ready to ride. Although each team viciously fought for points Team Oklahoma came ahead victorious with a final score of 9-4.
"I thought we all played very well. I thought the other team played really well too it was a very tough game at the beginning and in the end we got a little stronger, but it was a good game," said Kyles.
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