Sep 6, 2013

Horseback riders of all ages can play polocrosse, a sport invented in Australia in the 1930s. Think of the sport as a cross between polo and lacrosse, with players on horseback carrying rackets that resemble lacrosse sticks, scooping up the ball and passing it to their teammates – all while riding a horse. Sun photographer Karl Merton Ferron has more details.

: Members of the Bay Area Polocrosse team gather to begin practice at an open field in southern Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Ryan Trueblood, riding Bear (back to camera), throws the ball to players at the lineup during practice. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Becher Cole, riding Dan, gallops in to stick-check Sabrina Dobbins (riding Oliver) and knock the ball from her possession during the Bay Area Polocrosse team’s practice in southern Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Tristan Cole, 10, riding Cherokee, turns to avoid the stick check of his brother Becher Cole, 13, riding Dan, during practice. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: A slow shutter speed creates pastels in motion as the Bay Area Polocrosse team practices at an open field in southern Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Ryan Trueblood, riding Bear (background center), watches as Tristan Cole, riding Cherokee, avoids the stick check of Christy Dean, riding Lena, as Cole brings the ball upfield during practice. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Megan Waggener, riding Domino, passes the ball to a teammate during practice at an open field in southern Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Sabrina Dobbins, 15, riding Oliver, shoots to score in front of Quinn Riddle, 14, riding Pony (background), during practice at an open field in southern Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Hordes of gnats attracted to horses buzz around horse hooves, as a rider bounces the ball on the ground using a racket to maintain possession during practice. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: The setting sun illuminates Posh, as Haley Blend, 15, sits atop the horse during the Bay Area Polocrosse team’s practice in southern Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: People sit in lawn chairs as the Bay Area Polocrosse team gathers for practice. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Ryan Trueblood, riding Bear, is between goal posts as he gives instruction during Bay Area Polocrosse’s practice in southern Maryland. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

: Participants with the Bay Area Polocrosse team break in front of a mansion during team practice. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun)

“Polocrosse”? With a puzzled expression, I asked Baltimore Sun assignment editor Jeff Bill to repeat the word again, as he handed me the photo request to drive to southern Maryland.

I took some time just observing practice to understand the game and its strategy in order to photograph it better. When told the team would be in their uniforms the following week, I suggested we return to capture the players wearing something other than T-shirts.

The time slot was free the following week when the team met to practice, which helped me target better images. While I enjoy shooting backlit scenes, sometimes it’s better to have the setting sun behind a shoulder when covering equestrian events. The horses glisten as their coats become drenched with perspiration, which accentuates their muscular build.

A certain level of discomfort is understandable while among seven horses, especially when lying in the field with a fisheye lens. Imagine the startling sound of hooves from behind, only to see three more horses completely encircled you. Polocrosse is truly a unique sport to photograph.

Polocrosse: Looks like lacrosse on horses

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