With a playing area equal to nine football fields, polo is a socially distanced sport. But in a pandemic, the normally very social spectators are an area of concern.
The Oak Brook Polo Club took control of that matter at Sunday’s event at The Prince of Wales Field. The Drake Challenge Club Championship and Women’s Polo Challenge Championship was the fifth event of the season in Oak Brook, and the crowd didn’t seem to mind their limitations, even staying through more than one drastic change in weather.
The venue normally has grandstands where several hundred spectators can watch the eight horses and riders compete for the ball. Due to social distancing orders, only 20% of the full capacity is allowed in this year. The grandstands and the concessions were removed. Instead, fans were asked to park their vehicles along the length of the field on each side. Each space is marked by neat, white picket fencing and separated from its neighbor by 12 to 15 feet.
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