Argentina becomes first non-European nation to host World Cup of Horseball

Argentina hosting any World Cup should deserve attention and more so when it is a globalised version of such a quintessentially Argentine equestrian sport as pato – between March 25 and 30, this city hosted the fifth World Cup of Horseball as its first non-European venue.

In the final Spain dethroned France (the cradle of this sport half a century ago and always champions until now) in both genders with the ladies winning 5-2 while the male team squeezed out a 7-6 triumph. The medals were monopolised by three countries with Italy taking both bronzes.

Argentina finished seventh among the 15 countries competing, beating Canada and Mexico 11-0 but losing to Belgium and Italy in the Pro-Elite (male or mixed) category. The ladies finished sixth of the 10 teams in contention, despite losing all four of their opening matches.

The 15 countries participating in this World Cup were (in order of their first-round classification) France, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Britain, Argentina, Canada, Kyrgyzstan, Australia, Uruguay, Mexico, Chile and Japan – strange to see Kyrgyzstan in such a limited list and not superpowers like the United States or China. This represents a significant advance on the half dozen countries of the first World Cup with Argentina bringing in neighbours like Uruguay and Chile.

Horseball is played between two mounted (obviously) teams of six players, of whom only four are allowed on the pitch at a time with continuous rotation. As in pato, they pick up and pass a ball with handles among themselves with the object of tossing it into a net four metres in height at either end, which constitutes a goal. A match consists of two halves of 10 minutes, changing ends at half-time. Such is the basis of this sport but the rules (especially the penalties) are rather more complex than that.

A World Cup unfolding within a space of 1,800 square metres at the Rural Society exhibition grounds in Palermo.