The HH Sawai Bhawani Singh Cup 2013

When a sports event is sponsored by The Gem Palace and the chief guest is Princess Diya Kumari of Jaipur, that may signal you’re not going to get hot dogs and a beer in the stands.  We’re talking Jaipur Polo, with serious blue blood attendance and blue blood behavior.  We were invited to the match by our landlord, who is a member of the Jaipur Polo Club, which I believe meant we were able to sit in the grandstand, where we clearly didn’t belong.  Abba and I tried to be cool and blend in, but I was a little nervous I would have an Eliza Doolittle moment when she screams for her horse at the Ascot to “…move your bloomin’ arse” while all the stuffed shirts watch half-asleep.  As a Floridian in front of us remarked, “You know you’re at a society sport-event when more cameras are pointed toward the stands than the field. “

The Pipes and Drums Lead the Team On

Rugby-like Scrum Starts the Gam

Up Close of Action

Tea Is Served.

Winners Congrats to Losers

Princess Awards Losers

Princess Awards Winners

We got there at 3:00, which, it turns out, is early for a 3:00 match.  We watched beautiful people stroll in, greeting the other beautiful people with air kisses and the occasional restrained hug, women holding their gorgeous palous of their gorgeous saris, while the men sported those ridiculous baggy-thighed jodhpur riding pants and the occasional cravat. We learned the following:
1.  It’s the quietest sports event we’ve ever attended.  Think funeral home or hospital room quiet.  People whisper when they talk and as a result, I couldn’t hear most of the conversation.

2.  There are only 4 players on each team.   The players are rather like free agents, in that they join with each other at will to play matches so it’s really just like a game of pick-up….to a degree.

3.  All the players ride with the mallets raised high in the air when they race down the field and it looks fierce.

4.  Each player gets a handicap and they try to put together teams that are equal to play one another, or start with handicapped scores if not. How very civilized.  Do you think the Timberwolves get a handicap when they have to face the Spurs?  Hell to the no.

5. The ball is hard to see. 

6.  The horses run really fast and stop quickly.  Also, they don’t look like they are having a lot of fun.

7.  They serve hot chai tea during the game to everyone in china cups. Free!

8.  Everyone gets a trophy at the end of the game.  Like in elementary school.

9.  The sport has its moments and it’s very dramatic when the horses go galloping by in chase of the ball, but it’s hard to photograph.  Otherwise, there’s a fair amount of nothing-much-going-on time.

Pulao in front of me of gorgeous Sari

Following is a brief photo essay of our experience at the Jaipur Polo Club. All in all, it made me miss the more raucous nature of an American football or basketball game.