Dec 16, 2019
Story Courtesy of CLICKPOLOUSA.
Founded in 1922, the Sarasota Polo Club has a remarkable legacy, filled with stories of cowboys, cold Milwaukee beer and chewing gum. That year, the Uihlein family, owners of Schlitz Brewing Company, acquired the property as a 28,000-acre timber ranch. The cowboys who worked on the ranch began playing knock-around polo games in their free time. Knowing very little about polo, the cowboys played by their own rules, which included having the first rider to fall off his horse buy beer for the entire team, a tradition that remains in place today. Eventually mallets, saddles and a few authentic polo ponies were donated to the “cowboy games” and a polo club was born.
Today, the Sarasota Polo Club, owned by James and Misdee Wrigley Miller, is a premier sporting destination that encompasses 130 manicured acres, including 45 private equestrian estates, seven Bermuda grass polo fields, a regulation-sized polo arena, a half-mile horse track, on-site stabling for 72 horses, a player’s clubhouse, and a Polo Pavilion. In addition to polo, the club’s grounds and venues are home to a variety of community and social events, including concerts, festivals, theater performances, sporting events, charity fundraisers, corporate meetings and weddings.
The 2020 season kicked off at the Sarasota Polo Club in Sarasota, Florida, on Sunday, December 15. Games are played every Sunday until April 12, 2020 and gates open at 10:00am ET. The Sunday action starts with an opening parade and live national anthem. Throughout the day, guests have the opportunity to partake in Clydesdale wagon rides, half-time entertainment, divot stomping, food and drinks, as well as plenty of fresh air. It is the perfect setting for an outing suitable for both family and friends hosted at a growing club with high competitive polo matches.
The first game each Sunday starts at 1:00pm ET and features a pony named Fisher who carries the American flag. The Green Beach, as people call Sarasota’s main field, will host the most important afternoon games of the eight weeks. More than 45,000 people attended last season, and the club is expecting even more guests this season.
Tickets are $15 and children aged 12 and under enter for free. Guests are invited to have their own picnics and bring well-behaved, and leashed, dogs to the club located in Sarasota County, Florida.
December 22 will feature a Christmas theme featuring the Ugly Sweater Contest at halftime on the trophy stand, as well as the Best “Jack Frosted” Cookie and the Best Christmas Cocktail. The Christmas Toy Drive and photos with Santa will take place at the club’s Pavilion.
All photos courtesy of ©Sarasota Polo Club.
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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