On Thursday, participating countries in the International Camel Organization announced the establishment of an international association for the game “Polo Camel”, which is the first in its specialty in the world, and the organization of the first game championship in Saudi Arabia next month.
Camel polo derives its laws from the ancient horse polo game, which is spread in several countries of the world, as far back as centuries ago, as it is related to horses, horsemen and armies of past ages that were fighting with primitive weapons such as swords and spears.
The game is based on a knight riding a trained horse and holding a long wooden stick that he uses to hit a wooden ball on the ground, while other riders compete in the match according to specific laws.
The camel polo game will differ from the horse polo by replacing the horse with a camel only.
The new championship will be held next February in the city of Al-Ula in the northwest of the Kingdom, as part of the activities of the “Winter, Tourism and Entertainment” cultural festival, which attracts visitors from different countries of the world.
Representatives of 29 countries that participated in the founding of the International Union of Saudi Polo Polo Fahad bin Hathleen chose the president of the club, which will be based in Riyadh.
The announcement of the date for the camel polo championship comes in conjunction with the start of the first horse polo championship today, Thursday, in Al-Ula Governorate, with the participation of international teams, including the Argentine “La Dolphina” team, the most famous polo team in the world.
Polo is described as the game of elites in the world, as it appeals to businessmen and dignitaries, including kings, presidents and leaders who love horse riding.
Playing the game requires a stadium for internationally fixed sizes, and it is practiced on horses or camels after the establishment of the Camel Polo Association, and the animal is changed after each half, and the horse or camel does not play more than two games per game, which consists of five to six runs in the game high Goals, it is four in small competitions.
The polo team consists of 4 players, the area of the polo square is 275 x 180 meters, and the game is divided into runs that take seven and a half minutes, and errors are recorded and punished if one of the players crosses the other side seriously or if he hits it, and it is allowed to keep the opponent off the ball or Hold his stick in place to prevent him from hitting the ball.
The game is governed by 4 referees.
According to Wikipedia’s global encyclopedia, polo tools include a helmet that provides a face mask, a shoe that is long and brown in color, the ball is always made of wood, gloves to protect hands, a long stick made of bamboo wood, and a knee guard.