Sports

Horses on the sand? See what it looked like at the Beach Polo World Cup in Miami Beach

By Omar Rodríguez Ortiz and Carl Juste
Polo players take their skills to South Beach as horses gallop in the sand and enthusiasts cheer on their team. Teams “Delta” and “The Perigon” battle for 5th and 6th place in the first game of three during World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Polo players take their skills to South Beach as horses gallop in the sand and enthusiasts cheer on their team. Teams “Delta” and “The Perigon” battle for 5th and 6th place in the first game of three during World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com

Horses galloped Sunday on the pristine sands of South Beach during the season finale of the annual Beach Polo World Cup.

The Miami Beach equine competition is the largest and most well-known beach polo event in the world featuring eight international teams with players from more than 10 nations and over 120 horses, according to the World Polo League.

The four-day tournament spanned 140 meters across the sands near Collins Park, with thousands of fans in attendance.

Players score by driving the ball between the opposing team’s goal posts using a bamboo mallet while riding at speeds of up to 35 mph, according to the United States Polo Association. The team with the highest score after four to six “chukkers” or periods of play wins the game.

Check out a few photos of the action-packed event captured by Miami Herald photographer Carl Juste.

Polo players take their skills to South Beach as horses gallop in the sand and enthusiasts cheer on their team. Teams “Delta” and “The Perigon” battle for 5th and 6th place in the first game of three during World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Polo players take their skills to South Beach as horses gallop in the sand and enthusiasts cheer on their team. Teams “Delta” and “The Perigon” battle for 5th and 6th place in the first game of three during World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
Polo players take their skills to South Beach as horses gallop in the sand and enthusiasts cheer on their team. Teams “Delta” and “The Perigon” battle for 5th and 6th place in the first game of three during World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Polo players take their skills to South Beach as horses gallop in the sand and enthusiasts cheer on their team. Teams “Delta” and “The Perigon” battle for 5th and 6th place in the first game of three during World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
Mikerlange Barthélemy, Haitian-born equestrian trainer from Wellington enjoys the World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Mikerlange Barthélemy, Haitian-born equestrian trainer from Wellington enjoys the World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
Hats are the fashion statement as spectators enjoy the food, drinks, and company between finals of the World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Hats are the fashion statement as spectators enjoy the food, drinks, and company between finals of the World Polo League season finale on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com

This story was originally published April 23, 2023 at 4:44 PM.

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Profile Image of Omar Rodríguez Ortiz
Omar Rodríguez Ortiz
Miami Herald
305-376-2218
Omar is a bilingual and bicultural journalist, covering breaking news in South Florida for the Miami Herald. He has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree in education from the Universidad de Puerto Rico en Río Piedras.
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