We went to a polo match and the teams were called La Dolfina and Ellerstina. It was the final of the Tortugas Cup. It was a baking hot day and we sat on tiered benches with no cover.
It was a very close match. The ponies galloped across the pitch trying to hit the ball. We were amazed how fast they went and how tightly they turned.
Sometimes the horses ‘bump’ each other to get the ball:
There are 4 players in each team. All the players in team Ellerstina are related, and 3 of them are brothers. La Dolphina is a mix of players. The 8 players on the field were all 10 goal (that is the highest handicap), and are in the top 10 skilled players in the world.
It got really close in the end and we were all shouting for the teams we wanted to win. In the end the scores were 10:8 to Dolfinas. We were cheering for Ellerstina because for the last 6 years they have got in the same match as La Dofina and never won. They didn’t win again this time but it was excitingly close.
After the match we went over to Ellerstina’s base and stroked one of the ponies. They felt very oily and sweaty! Their tails got plaited and rolled up so that they could go faster without their tails getting in the way.
It was a really special experience to go and watch the match.