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', also called ' (, literally "duck game"), is a game played on horseback that combines elements from
polo Polo is a ball game played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports. The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small ha ...
and
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
. Since 1953 it has been the national sport of
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest ...
. ' is Spanish for "
duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ...
", as early games used a live duck inside a basket instead of a ball. Accounts of early versions of ''pato'' have been written since 1610. The playing field would often stretch the distance between neighboring ' (ranches). The first team to reach its own ' (ranch house) with the duck would be declared the winner. ' was banned several times during its history because of the violence—not only to the duck; many
gaucho A gaucho () or gaúcho () is a skilled horseman, reputed to be brave and unruly. The figure of the gaucho is a folk symbol of Argentina, Uruguay, Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and the south of Chilean Patagonia. Gauchos became greatly admired and ...
s were trampled underfoot, and many more died in knife fights started in the heat of the game. In 1796, a Catholic priest insisted that ' players who died in such a way should be denied Christian burial. Government ordinances forbidding the practice of ' were common throughout the 19th century. During the 1930s, ' was regulated through the efforts of ranch owner Alberto del Castillo Posse, who drafted a set of rules inspired by modern
polo Polo is a ball game played on horseback, a traditional field sport and one of the world's oldest known team sports. The game is played by two opposing teams with the objective of scoring using a long-handled wooden mallet to hit a small ha ...
. The game gained legitimacy, to the point that President
Juan Perón Juan Domingo Perón (, , ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine Army general and politician. After serving in several government positions, including Minister of Labour and Vice President of a military dictatorship, he was elected ...
declared ' to be Argentina's national game in 1953. In modern ', two four-member teams riding on
horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...
s fight for possession of a ball which has six conveniently-sized handles, and score by throwing the ball through a vertically positioned ring (as opposed to the horizontal rim used in basketball). The rings have a 100 cm (3.3 ft) diameter, and are located atop 240 cm (7.9 ft) high poles. A closed net, extending for 140 cm (4.6 ft), holds the ball after goals are scored. The winner is the team with most goals scored after regulation time (six 8-minute "periods"). The dimensions of the field are: length 180 to 220 m (196.9 to 240.6 yd), width 80 to 90 m (87 to 98 yd). The ball is made of leather, with an inflated rubber chamber and six leather handles. Its diameter is 40 cm (15.7 in) handle-to-handle and its weight is 1050 to 1250 g (2.3 to 2.8 lbs). The player that has control of the ' (i.e. holds the ball by a handle) must ride with his right arm outstretched, offering the ' so rival players have a chance of tugging the ' and stealing it. Not extending the arm while riding with the ' is an offense called ' (refusal). During the tug itself, or ', both players must stand on the
stirrup A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a ''stirrup leather''. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal ...
s and avoid sitting on the
saddle The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not kno ...
, while the hand not involved in the tugging must hold the
rein Reins are items of horse tack, used to direct a horse or other animal used for riding. They are long straps that can be made of leather, nylon, metal, or other materials, and attach to a bridle via either its bit or its noseband. Use f ...
s. The tug is usually the most exciting part of the game. ' is played competitively and also by amateurs, mostly in weekend fairs which usually include ' (Argentine rodeo). Its status as the national game of Argentina has been challenged by
association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
, which is much more widespread. While virtually the entire population of the country are avid football fans and players, it is estimated that 90% of Argentines have not seen a ' match, and there are only a few thousand players of the game. In light of this, a bill was introduced in the Argentine legislature in 2010 to elevate football to the status of national sport and reduce ' to a traditional sport. Defenders of ''s official status point out that it is a completely indigenous game, while football was imported. ' is similar to the game of
horseball Horseball is a sport played on horseback where a ball is handled and goals are scored by shooting it through a hoop with a diameter of 1m. The sport is a combination of polo, rugby, netball, and basketball. It is one of the ten disciplines off ...
played in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...
, and other countries. File:Throwing in for the goal.jpg File:Levante.jpg File:Torneolarural.jpg File: Matepato.jpg


References


External links


Federación Argentina de Pato y Horseball
{{Team sports Equestrian team sports National symbols of Argentina Sport in Argentina Sports originating in Argentina Obsolete blood sports