Just prior to visiting England in 1938, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Hirst of Sydney read an article in an English Horse Magazine on "Polo Crosse". As both were keen on horse breeding and horse sports they decided to find out more about it when they got to England.

On arrival they visited the National School of Equitation at Kingston Vale near London where two riding instructors had developed an exercise to supplement the work at the riding School and to make the young riders take better charge of their horses.

The exercise was played with two a side, indoors, and with markers on the wall from which the ball bounced back into play. The goals were elongated basketball nets hung at each end of the arena. The sticks were old polo sticks that had the polo mallet removed and replaced with a squash racquet head. This had a shallow string net, which they used to scoop up the ball. The idea was to scoop up the ball, which was a little larger than a tennis ball, ride with it to the end of the arena and drop it into the net to score.

Realising the great possibilities of this exercise as an outdoor horse sport, Mr. and Mrs. Hirst returned to Australia with sticks, balls and rule books where they sought the assistance of Mr. Alf Pitty, a well known and experienced horseman and polo player.


After many hours of discussion, practising, and much trial and error and with constant revision of the rules, they finally came up with a new and exciting game using only one horse and able to be played by a person of any age. They called the new game "POLOCROSSE".

The team was to consist of 6 players divided into two sections of three each who would play alternate periods of time called "chukkas". This was to permit each section to have a rest whilst the other played so as to necessitate using only the one horse.

The No.1 in each section would be the only player to be able to score goals for the team, the No. 3 the only player able to defend the goal and the No. 2 would be restricted to the centre area. Designing the team in this way they felt would ensure that the ball would be passed about amongst the players thereby making it a better skilled, faster and more attractive horse sport.

Over fifty years later despite numerous ideas on improvements the same basic philosophy, size of the field and team combination is still used to make it "King of the One Horse Sports".

After all their careful designing Mr. Pitty then helped to give what would appear to be the first polocrosse demonstration at Ingleburn Sports Ground near Sydney in 1939. He showed those present how to pick up the ball and the basic idea of the game. Such was the immediate interest and enthusiasm that it was not long before all the club members were practising this new game. A short time later in 1939 a meeting was called at Ingleburn to form the first Polocrosse Club. At this meeting the first book of Rules of the Game was established.

During World War II naturally the game suffered a set-back, but a few keen enthusiasts mainly the women kept it alive.

Polocrosse in South Africa started in the early 1950's The first International tour of South Africa was in 1968 by Rhodesia and followed by the Australians in 1971.
The International Polocrosse Council was formed at a meeting at the Queensland Gold Coast, Australia, on 21st June 1976. Foundation Countries were: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Rhodesia and South Africa. Foundation.

The aim of the International Polocrosse Council is to promote international competitions and exchange visits of teams, draw up a common set of Rules of the Sport and generally promote the sport throughout the world. Member Countries are Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Zimbabwe, United States of America, South Africa, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Canada, and Ireland.

Australia hosted the First International Test Match Series in the history of polocrosse in May/June 1983 with two Test Matches between Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe.

In 1988 Australia hosted an Australia -v- The World Test Series with overseas players coming from New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe to make up the World Team. In 1997 South Africa hosted a quadrangular test series between Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Regular test matches are held between nations.