Want to learn how the game of polo is played? It’s simple. Watch the ball. 

That’s what Big Horn’s Flying H Polo Club Manager Will Johnston has heard his 90-year-old grandfather, Skey Johnston, tell polo newbies over the years. 

Following the ball as it darts between mallets and earth at speeds up to 110 miles per hour, however, is easier said than done. Much of the difficulty has to do with the ball’s traditional white color. 

The bright yellow color is intended to make the ball much easier to spot for players, spectators and cameras. (Kaile Roos)

So Flying H is trying something brand new in one of the world’s oldest team sports. They’re playing with optic yellow balls. 

The younger Johnston dreamt the idea up about two years ago after a conversation with his grandfather. 

He then talked a polo ball manufacturer into taking on his vision. A package finally arrived this August. 

“‘Please be open to this,’” Johnston remembers pitching to the club’s players. “‘This is exciting. We get to be the first club to ever do this and you’re going to be the first players to have ever played with this ball.’”

To his delight, players and spectators alike have returned rave reviews for the brightly colored ball. 

“We really have something here,” Johnston said.

The club’s last matches of the season are this Saturday. Admission is free. 

Maggie Mullen reports on state government and politics. Before joining WyoFile in 2022, she spent five years at Wyoming Public Radio.

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  1. Wonderful idea. Innovation based on common sense. THAT is what Wyoming used to be famous for instead of its politics.

    Reply