Unusual Sports: Penny Farthing Polo
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
This unusual sport was invented in 2013 by Neil Laughton, who is 62 years old and lives in Henfield in West Sussex in the United Kingdom.
Penny farthing polo is very similar to traditional polo played on horseback but is played on Victorian style penny farthing bicycles.
Played in teams of four, penny farthing polo is played with bigger balls, to avoid damaging the spokes of the bicycles.
Also, no physical contact, alongside other players, is allowed to avoid collisions.
As Laughton remarked:
"It is potentially a little bit dangerous. We are riding seven feet up in the air.”
He came up with the idea on a whim and added:
"People will be familiar with horse polo, maybe even elephant polo, camel polo, et cetera, and indeed bicycle polo, but... as I got a little bit older, I was thinking it would be good to do penny farthing polo."
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
