Off your high horse: Argentina’s new sport of e-wheel polo – in pictures

Lifestyle

 Roda polo players near Buenos Aires, where the sport took off.

Photographs: Irina Werning

Roda polo, which started during the Covid pandemic in Argentina, replaces horses with electric wheels, so it is cheaper and no animals are harmed. These photographs were taken in Pilar, near Buenos Aires, the world’s polo capital

Fri 17 Jan 2025 02.00 EST

  • Roda polo is booming among young people in Argentina as it offers a fun, fast-paced and accessible way to enjoy the excitement of poloA group of roda polo players crowding the camera
  • Rodders Academy in Pilar offers a two-week course on mastering the e-wheelStudents on grass with e-wheels
  • Children get ready to play in a tournament in Buenos Aires, where the sport is gaining popularity Players moving their e-wheels
  • A group of young roda polo players watch as prizes are given out at the tournament, organised by Javier Tanoira, a former polo player who invented A group of young roda polo players sitting on grass
  • Players also use their e-wheels to get around and for funThree children ride e-wheels around a swimming pool
  • Roda polo players enjoy the informal nature of the sport Girls doing handstands on the pitch
  • There two girls who play traditional polo as well as roda polo say they enjoy the inclusivity of the new sportTwo players with e-wheel and horses in background
  • As e-wheel technology gets cheaper, roda polo is reaching more young peopleA group cheers at a tournament
  • From a young age, boys and girls can compete together in roda polo. Traditional polo often separates them due to the physical demands of riding hoPlayers of both horse and e-wheel polo at a tournament
  • A car packed with e-wheels, helmets, and mallets at a traditional polo gameA car packed with e-wheels, helmets, and mallets at a traditional polo game
  • A group of friends at a polo tournament in PilarA group of friends at a polo tournament in Pilar
  • Children learning roda polo at an academy after schoolChildren doing stretches on grass
  • A boy takes horses back to their truck after a day playing traditional and roda poloBoys with e-wheels and horses
  • When hitting the ball or making a challenge in order to gain possession, players must have both feet on the pedalsWhen hitting the ball or making a challenge in order to gain possession, players must have both feet on the pedals. When a foot is placed on the ground the player is forbidden from carrying out any action.
  • With teams of four, the sport emphasises teamwork and quick reactions, creating an exciting and dynamic atmosphereA team celebrates a goal in roda polo
  • At some tournaments, e-wheels now outnumber horses, highlighting the growing popularity of roda polo alongside the traditional sportPerson rides e-wheel past a horse
  • The new variant of polo is already recognised by the Argentine Polo Association, officially sharing the same game rules with adjustmentsYoung players on their e-wheels
  • Roda polo equipment comprises an e-wheel, a short mallet, a tennis ball and a helmet, making the sport easily accessibleGear lying on grass
  • A player prepares the field for roda polo, setting up the goalposts. One traditional polo field can fit three roda polo fieldsPlayer putting traffic cone in place on grass
  • A group of children arrives at a roda polo academyA group of kids arrives at a Roda Polo academy in a pickp truck
  • Time to be fed after the gameChildren crowding around to receive a hotdog
  • Roda polo is thought to help young players develop their regular polo skillsA group of kids in traditional polo gear

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