Rule 27 · HPA Blue Book 2026
The line of the ball is the path the ball has taken, extended, and it decides which player has precedence over the others.
LINE OF THE BALL. The line of the ball (LOB) is the extended path along which the ball has travelled or is travelling. This includes when it has been kicked by a pony or has hit a player’s or umpire’s pony or any other impediment on the field of play. If a player has a free hit but misses the ball, the LOB is taken as that direction in which the player was riding. The LOB is the reference for deciding precedence as between players. See Annex B.
Two opposing players riding on the exact LOB and simultaneously making a play on each other, whether following or meeting, have precedence over all other players.
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
No foul
No foul. Two opposing players riding on the exact line of the ball and making a play on each other, here Blue 1 and White 4 in a ride-off, have precedence over all other players, following or meeting. White 2, coming to meet the ball, has no play and gives way. This is the HPA's own diagram, with Red shown as White.
Rule 27a · Annex B Fig i — Hurlingham Polo Association
A player on the exact LOB with the ball on their offside, whether following or meeting, has precedence over any other players, except when meeting two players as above.
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
No foul
No foul. A player on the exact line of the ball with the ball on his offside, following or meeting, has precedence over any other player, unless he meets two players riding together on the line. Blue 1 has it; White 3 and White 4 give way. This is the HPA's own diagram, with Red shown as White.
Rule 27b · Annex B Fig ii — Hurlingham Polo Association
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
No foul
No foul. The rule gives precedence to a player on the exact line with the ball on his offside whether following or meeting. In the HPA's diagram the meeting player, White 2 (Red in the rulebook), is on the exact line and the precedence band is his; Blue 1, coming in at an angle, gives way.
Rule 27b · Annex B Fig iii — Hurlingham Polo Association
No player shall enter in front of the player on the LOB except at such a speed and distance that not the slightest risk of collision or danger to any player is involved. If a player enters safely and gains control of the ball, an opponent must not ride into them from behind.
When no player is on the exact LOB and two or more players ride in the same general direction, whether following or meeting, the player riding at the lesser angle to the LOB has precedence. If the players are at equal angles, the player that has the LOB on their offside has precedence.
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
No foul
No foul. When no player is on the exact line and two or more ride in the same general direction, the one riding at the lesser angle to the line has precedence: Blue 2. Blue 4 hit the ball, but that gives him nothing. White 3 and White 2 give way. The HPA's diagram (Fig vi), with Red shown as White.
Rule 27d · 27f · Annex B Fig vi — Hurlingham Polo Association
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
No foul
No foul. If the players are at equal angles to the line, the player who has the line of the ball on his offside has precedence. Blue 2 and White 3 appear to be at equal angles; Blue 2 has the line on his right and has precedence. How equal 'equal' is remains the umpire's judgement. The HPA's diagram (Fig vii), with Red shown as White.
Rule 27d · Annex B Fig vii — Hurlingham Polo Association
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
No foul
No foul. Both players are meeting the ball and neither is on the exact line, so the one at the lesser angle has precedence: Blue 1. Even if White 4 were judged to be at an equal angle, Blue 1 would still have it, because the line is on his offside. The HPA's diagram (Fig ix), with Red shown as White.
Rule 27d · Annex B Fig ix — Hurlingham Polo Association
Any player riding in the same direction as the ball is travelling or has travelled has precedence over any player or players riding from the opposite direction unless they are in accordance with 28a or b above.
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
No foul
No foul. A player riding in the direction the ball is travelling has precedence over a player riding from the opposite direction, unless that player is on the exact line with the ball on his offside. Blue 4 backs the ball; Blue 3 follows its new direction; White 2 meets it at an angle, off the line, and gives way. The HPA's diagram (Fig iv, labelled '27c' in Annex B; the rule is 27e in the rule text), with Red shown as White.
Rule 27e · Annex B Fig iv — Hurlingham Polo Association
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
No foul
No foul. Blue 3 and White 2 ride together in the direction the ball is travelling, so they have precedence over White 4, who comes from the opposite direction and is not on the exact line. The HPA's diagram (Fig v), with Red shown as White.
Rule 27e · Annex B Fig v — Hurlingham Polo Association
No player will be considered to have precedence because they were the last to hit the ball if having hit the ball they have then deviated from the exact LOB.
HPA · UK · Blue Book 2026
Foul
Foul on Blue 1. He hit the ball, but he cut it away at an angle and carried on wide, so he was never on the new line. White 2 rode to it at the lesser angle and was first on it, with the ball on his offside: from then on the right of way is his. Having hit the ball last gives Blue 1 none (r.27f). Coming back for the ball, Blue 1 crosses in front of White 2 close enough to risk a collision.
Rule 26 · 27c · 27f · 27d — Hurlingham Polo Association
During a throw-in, a precedence as between players will only be established when the ball leaves the line out, either direct from the throw by the umpire or if hit away by a player. Until such time, players may play the ball from any direction or angle providing they do so without creating danger or a risk of danger to themselves, other players, or ponies.
A player shall not be entitled to play the ball on their nearside if they endanger another player who would otherwise have been able to make or attempt to make a legitimate play.