KEY POINTS:
Polo is, quite simply, hockey on horses. Except we're not allowed to call them horses.
Polo has its own set of terms. Horses are ponies, no matter what height they are. The weapons of choice for firing the ball around the pitch are mallets, not sticks. And the players really do wear polo shirts.
Polo is one of the fastest and most dangerous games in the world. It attracts the rich and the royal, notably Prince Charles, who in turn attract their own fans.
Next week's polo matches at Clevedon, south of Auckland, are more low key. Teams from New Zealand, Australia, India, Pakistan and South Africa will compete to win a place at the Federation of International Polo World Cup, to be played in Mexico in September.
There will be a few famous faces to watch for, although not the so-called "mink and manure" throng that matches in Britain and Argentina draw. Patrick Guerrand-Hermes, of Hermes handbag and scarf fame, will be here in his role as president of the federation. And Australian entrepreneur Chris Murphy, best known for discovering the band INXS, is here as sponsor of the Australian team.
Play begins on Monday at Smiths Lawn and finishes next Sunday with South Africa v India, and New Zealand v Australia.
Overseas teams do not bring their own ponies. All teams draw from a pool of ponies lent by players from all over the country. Each team of four players competes in matches comprising five seven-minute chukkas . The ponies can play a maximum of seven minutes a match, so steeds are changed during chukkas as well.
And if traditional polo doesn't appeal, there are breakaway options: canoe polo, yak polo, camel polo and even Segway polo.
