When the first Portsea Polo was held 17 years ago, Bec Judd was still Rebecca Twigley and she hadn't yet worn that red dress to the Brownlow.

But come Saturday, she and her husband, former AFL champion Chris Judd, will have their own marquee at Portsea for their sportswear brand, Jaggad.

The Judds will join car companies, beer brands and champagne houses at Point Nepean for a day of socialising, high fashion and two dozen "chukkas" – the name for an end, or round, in a polo match.

All eyes will likely be on the Alfa Romeo marquee, where Foreign Minister Julie Bishop – in hot water this week for using the public purse to attend last year's event – is still not confirming her attendance.

Held in mid-January, on the cusp of the Australian Open and the tail end of the traditional summer holiday period, the Portsea Polo is the first major event of Melbourne's annual social calendar.

Major sponsors erect marquees not unlike those in the Birdcage at Flemington and clamour to woo celebrity guests to help win the media coverage war.

But it wasn't always like that, explains Paul Roberts, polo manager for the event's organiser, TLA Worldwide.

"The first Portsea Polo [involved] the ground being hand-mown by one of the local guys … and a host of cars backed up on the side of the field with Eskies," he said.

Mr Roberts said the corporatisation of the event has happened over the past 10 years, with 6000 people expected to attend this weekend.

"We've tried to keep the different elements of the event still there. We have a large general admission area, the smaller group marquees and the corporate marquees as well. So it's a wide mix."

While polo has a reputation for being elitist and too expensive for the ordinary person to play, Mr Roberts said efforts were underway to open the sport to more people, especially women.

"There are a lot more players now who don't have the horses, who don't have the trucks … you can hire and rent horses on a weekly basis," Mr Roberts said.

Three women will saddle up at Portsea on Saturday.

"There are some amazing horsewomen and polo players who are infinitely better than the men," he said.

Although the day itself is full of frivolity, Mr Roberts stressed that the safety of players, horses and the spectators is paramount.

"The love and the effort and the time and expense behind keeping those horses happy and healthy is immense," he said.

One man who knows all about tending to polo "ponies" is third-generation player Glen Gilmore, captain of the Australian team and polo manager at Ellerston, the NSW rural property owned by the Packer family.

He said a good polo pony, many of which are ex-racehorses, needs a good brain, athleticism and a calm nature.

"Each horse [at the polo] does the equivalent of two Melbourne Cups in a chukka," he said, which is why 130 horses will rotate for Saturday's four games.

While Mr Gilmore's duties on Saturday include commentating and playing, he also loves the people-watching.

"I just can't get over the number of good looking people who come down," he said.

One such beauty is Australian-born model Shanina Shaik, who is attending as a guest of Peroni. 

She said it was advisable for women to wear wedges or flats to avoid sinking into the grass.

"A great summer fun dress is really nice, something flowy and light," she said. "And it's important to be smart with the sun."

Organisers will be hoping that Shaik – and not the bureau – is right. The outlook is even money for showers, with a maximum temperature of 24 degrees.

Melissa Singer travelled to Portsea with assistance from Alfa Romeo and TLA Worldwide.