Horses on the sand? See what it looked like at the Beach Polo World Cup in Miami Beach

Horses galloped Sunday on the pristine sands of South Beach during the season finale of the annual Beach Polo World Cup. The Miami Beach equine competition is the largest and most well-known beach polo event in the world featuring eight international teams with players from more than 10 nations and over 120 horses, according to the World Polo League. The four-day tournament spanned 140 meters across the sands near Collins Park, with thousands of fans in attendance.

Players score by driving the ball between the opposing team’s goal posts using a bamboo mallet while riding at speeds of up to 35 mph, according to the United States Polo Association. The team with the highest score after four to six “chukkers” or periods of play wins the game. Check out a few photos of the action-packed event captured by Miami Herald photographer Carl Juste.

Horses galloped Sunday on the pristine sands of South Beach during the season finale of the annual Beach Polo World Cup. The Miami Beach equine competition is the largest and most well-known beach polo event in the world featuring eight international teams with players from more than 10 nations and over 120 horses, according to the World Polo League. The four-day tournament spanned 140 meters across the sands near Collins Park, with thousands of fans in attendance.

Players score by driving the ball between the opposing team’s goal posts using a bamboo mallet while riding at speeds of up to 35 mph, according to the United States Polo Association. The team with the highest score after four to six “chukkers” or periods of play wins the game. Check out a few photos of the action-packed event captured by Miami Herald photographer Carl Juste.