Sarasota Polo Magazine - 2024

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Welcome

Sar a sota Polo Enthusia sts!

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James & Misdee Miller

elcome to the 2024 Season of Sarasota Polo!

Misdee and I are very excited to have all of you with us once again. We look forward to hosting you for exciting Sarasota Polo action throughout the winter season. Every year, we anticipate our guests will develop great memories with family and friends, all while experiencing the unique sights and sounds of thundering horses racing across the fragile turf.

We started our last season off with a very unfortunate catastrophe, as our newly-remodeled Clubhouse was lost to a fire. As we try to erase that recent memory with time, we know that the good times that we will spend with you this season will help remind us how lucky we are to have our lives, our family, and our friends around us to make lasting memories.

This off-season, we have added some new members to our team and we have all been working harder than ever to improve our facilities. Our primary focus has been improving our 100 acres of polo turf. Our grass never takes a day off, never stops growing, and it is always the most intense of all of our work. We have a great team going into the 2024 Season who have been working tirelessly over the summer to improve what we are offering for the horses and the players who join us for the winter.

In hospitality news, there will be no rebuilding of the Clubhouse at the previous location.

I do plan to eventually build a new Clubhouse at midfield, but planning takes time and it is always difficult to squeeze in any construction project in our short summer off season. I will be adding a large, open air patio this season at the old Clubhouse location as construction and polo schedules allow.

I will add a new hospitality tent offering immediately. We have partnered with Gina Lyons of A Vine Affair who will procure unique champagne offerings, culinary menus and bespoke lounge and table options throughout the season. I am referring to the new tented offering as “A Vine Affair at Sarasota Polo,” and the tickets will be available along with our other offerings on Eventbrite. Gina has hosted champagne and caviar enthusiasts at the Sarasota Polo Club over the past several seasons on a limited schedule, and I am thrilled to have her partnering with us every Sunday this season. She will also join us for Sunset Polo Happy Hour, which kicks off on Thursday, March 14th and continues through Thursday, April 11th.

Another exciting addition that I have made this off season is two new hairy, hard workers Bud and Charlie. These two big fellas are Belgian Draft Horses, and they have been assigned to our halftime wagon ride tradition offered for both young and old enthusiasts. Bud and Charlie can’t wait to show you around the polo field in style!

We strongly believe that these off season improvements will lead to some of the most exciting polo in the country. We look forward to you joining us this season at the Sarasota Polo Club!

James Miller

Owner Sarasota Polo Club

APRIL

MARCH

FEBRUARY

DECEMBERJANUARY

2024 Schedule DECEMBER 31

JANUARY 7

JANUARY 14

JANUARY 21

JANUARY 28

Opening Day New Year’s Eve Celebration

8-Goal Gerry Aschinger Memorial

8-Goal Gerry Aschinger Memorial

8-Goal Gerry Aschinger Memorial

8-Goal Gerry Aschinger Memorial Final

FEBRUARY 4

FEBRUARY 11

FEBRUARY 18

FEBRUARY 25

12-Goal USPA Copper Cup

12-Goal USPA Copper Cup

12-Goal USPA Copper Cup

12-Goal USPA Copper Cup Final

MARCH 3

MARCH 10

MARCH 17

MARCH 24

MARCH 31

Sarasota Women’s Challenge Final

12-Goal USPA National Inter-Circuit Championship

12-Goal USPA National Inter-Circuit Championship

12-Goal USPA National Inter-Circuit Championship

12-Goal USPA National Inter-Circuit Championship Final

Woofminster Dog Show Presented by Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Lakewood Ranch

Pretty in Pink Presented By Sirius Day Spa, Salon And Med Spas

70’s Disco Party

Spring Break at the Green Beach

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

APRIL 7

APRIL 13

The Grand Finale at Sunday Polo

Grand Finale Polo Event

Kid’s Day and Super Hero Sunday Presented By Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital

Pajama Slumber Party

Wild Wild West

Salute Our Military Day

Hawaiian Luau

Easter Eggstravaganza & Annual Helicopter Egg Drop

EVERY SUNDAY AT 1 PM

December 31st

Evening Polo Match

through

Stay Tuned On Our Website & Social Media Pages for Event & Ticketing Information

April 7th

EVERY THURSDAY AT 5:30 PM

March 14

th through

April 11

TO PURCHASE TICKETS, VISIT SAR ASOTAPOLO.COM

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contents From Seahorses to Polo Horses

Caring Compassionately for Polo Ponies

The Return of the Draft Horses

As the new Mote SEA prepares to open, Sarasota Polo Club owners James and Misdee Miller are excited to be a part of the new seahorse exhibit.

What does it take for a polo pony to be match-ready? Grooms, veterinarians, dentists, farriers, chiropractors, and more all play a critical role.

After a brief hiatus, horse-drawn wagon rides are returning to the Sarasota Polo Club. Crowds are sure to love our two new Belgian Draft Horses.

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People of Polo:

Spotlighting the stories of a few Sarasota Polo Club members & partners. Learn how they fell in love with “the fastest game on four feet.”

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Meet the Voice of Sarasota Polo:

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At the Top of Her Game:

Bradley Hendrix’s vibrant voice and play-by-plays is the perfect soundtrack to polo matches.

After 15 years together, Stuart Campbell and his horse Moonshine continue to win accolades while playing polo.

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60

It’s Raining Easter Eggs at Sunday Polo:

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The Youth Are Taking the Field: An inside look

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Keeping Safe at the Sarasota Polo Club:

The Sarasota Polo Club has become an Easter Sunday destination for Sarasota-Manatee County residents.

at how youth players are honing their craft at the Sarasota Polo Club.

Medical care is critical, on and off the polo field. Enjoy some words of wisdom from the medical staff who keep both the players and spectators safe.

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FEATURES & DEPARTMENTS 2024 Season Schedule............3 Credits..................................12 Sponsor Salute..................... 14 Learn the Polo Basics........... 18 Polopedia.............................22 Tools of the Trade................24 What is That?.......................36 Dogs of Polo......................... 47 Sunset Polo Happy Hour........................54 Student Athletes Make Their Mark ..........................62 Kids of Polo......................... 74

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Manatee County’s Mounted Patrol Unit...........78 We Salute Our Players.......... 81 Meet the Staff......................90 Sidelines...............................93 Action..................................97 2023 Winner’s Circle......... 110 2023 Best Playing Ponies...120 Grounds Map.....................122 Championship Field Map...124 About Sarasota Polo..........126 2023 Breyer Celebration Horse: Bravour 54..............128

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credits Sarasota Polo Magazine is the official annual publication of the Sarasota Polo Club.

Sarasota Polo Club 8201 Polo Club Lane Sarasota, FL 34240 941.907.0000 SarasotaPolo.com

Sarasota Polo Magazine Co-Editors-in-Chief

Paige Lautzenheiser Ron Trytek

Director of Operations

Project Management Partner A.E. Engine, Inc. 23110 State Road 54, Ste. 293 Lutz, FL 33549 727.608.8102

Events Coordinator

Craig Baroncelli

Facilities Manager

Basil Lowell

Paige Lautzenheiser Hollis Onetto

Director of Polo

Mason Wroe

Director of Sales & Marketing

Ron Trytek

Director of Maintenance

Bryan Zdancewicz Field Staff

Nicholas Chavez Jason Davis Tucker Reback

Publisher

Art Director

Joe Rabuck

Traffic Coordinator & Graphic Designer

Nicole Cooper

Contributing Writers Paige Lautzenheiser Abby Weingarten Photographers Julio Aguilar Meghan Benge Susan Freitag Curt Leimbach John Longo Eric Nalpas Elizabeth Owen Riich Media Katie Roth Kaylee Wroe Equine Integrated Veterinary Solutions (EIVS) Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services

Sarasota Polo Magazine specifies that post-press changes may occur to any information presented in this publication and takes no responsibility for goods or services advertised. sar asota polo 2 0 24

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Our Season of 2024 Sponsors 2024 Sponsors

WEALTH ADVISORS

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Sarasota

Polo: a Sport That’s Good For Business!

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Learn the Polo Basics A viewer’s guide to one of the fastest growing sports The 2,500-year-old sport of polo is one of the fastest and most technical sports played today. It is gaining increasing popularity as a premier spectator sport and can be an easy game for the first-time spectator to enjoy. Here are a few basic facts to help you watch the game: GAME BASICS The sport of polo is played on a 10-acre grass field that is 300 yards in length by 160 yards in width - the approximate area of 10 football fields. The goal posts are set eight yards apart on either end of the field.

The object of the game is to move the ball downfield, hitting the ball through the goal posts for a score. After each goal, the teams change their direction of play. The team that ends up with the most goals at the end of the match is deemed the winner.

Each team is made up of four players each and are designated on the field by jersey color. The jersey number corresponds with their assigned position. #1 is the most offensive player, concentrating on scoring. Usually, the most experienced and highest-rated players wear jerseys #2 and #3. #3 serves as the team captain and is responsible for coordinating the offense, passing the ball upfield to his or her sar asota polo 2 0 24

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teammates as they press towards their opposition’s goal. #4 is the defensive player, primarily responsible for defending his or her team’s goal. Each player is also assigned an opponent to cover on defense and must be prepared to shift between offensive and defensive modes at any time.

The mallet, made of a bamboo shaft with a hardwood head, is the instrument that the player uses to hit the ball. The ball, formerly made of wood but is now plastic, is about 3 1/4 inches in diameter and 4 ounces in weight. In fact, the English word “polo” is derived from the Tibetan word “pulu,” meaning ball.

The surface of a polo field requires careful and constant grounds maintenance in order to remain in good playing condition. During halftime of a match, spectators are invited to assist with field maintenance by participating in a polo tradition called “divot stomping,” which helps reduce the mounds of earth (divots) that are torn up by the horses’ hooves during the match.

It also provides spectators with the opportunity to walk about and socialize.

There are six periods, or “chukkers,” in a match. Each chukker is seven and a half minutes long. Play begins with an umpire throwing in the ball at the opening of each chukker and after each goal. Only penalties, injuries or time allotted for tack repair may stop the flow of the game, as there are no timeouts or substitutions allowed.

The four basic shots in polo are distinguished by the side of the pony on which they are made. The left side of the pony is known as the “nearside” and the right side is known as the “offside.” Therefore, you have the “nearside forward,” the “nearside back,” the “offside forward,” and the “offside back.” Shots can also be made under the pony’s neck (“neck shot”), behind the pony’s tail (“tail shot”), or under the belly of the pony (“belly shot”).

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THE RULES Although there are many rules to the sport of polo, the primary concept to which all rules are dedicated is safety – for the player and his or her mount.

The right-of-way rule is defined by a player’s position in relation to the direction of travel of the ball when it is hit. Once hit, an imaginary line is drawn from the player to the ball, and extended ahead of the ball in the direction that it is traveling. This imaginary line cannot be crossed by other players except under special circumstances and only in such a way as to legitimately gain control of the ball. When a player has the line of the ball on his right, he has the rightof-way. This can only be taken away by “riding off ” (making shoulderto-shoulder contact) and moving the player off the line of the ball.

These rules help create safe traffic patterns that enable the participants to play at top speeds and avoid dangerous collisions.

THE HANDICAPS Each player is assigned an individual handicap on the ascending basis of C, B, A (-2 through 0) and 1 through 10. This handicap reflects the player’s ability and his or her value to the team. The higher the handicap, the better the player. There are only a few 10-Goal players in the world.

The team handicap is determined by adding together the handicaps of each player on the team. The team with the lesser handicap is granted the difference in goals (or points) prior to the start of the match. For that reason, a match may well have a “score” prior to the start of the game based on the difference in team handicaps.

Player handicaps are evaluated and revised annually by the United States Polo Association (USPA). Handicapping is a subjective evaluation of the individual’s horsepower, game sense, hitting ability, and overall value to a team.

THE PONIES Polo ponies are central to the success of any team. They are considered the most athletic of equine performers because of their requirements to sprint, stop, turn and accelerate to open speed. Although they are called “ponies,” they are actually small horses, as they average in height from 15 to 16 hands (1 Hand = 4 Inches). Players change mounts between each chukker, and will also sometimes change horses mid-chukker if they feel their horse getting tired from the exertion required. Because of this, a team typically has a minimum of 24 horses available to them during the match. sar asota polo 2 0 24

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Polopedia Basic Definitions to add to Your Polo Watching Enjoyment Back Shot: A shot that sends the ball backwards which can be hit from either side of the horse.

Chukker: “Periods” in polo. Depending on the level of play, there are either 4 or 6 chukkers per match. Between each chukker, players change horses.

Divot Stomping: During halftime, spectators are invited to go onto the playing field to replace pieces of turf that have been dug up by the horses.

Double-Chukkered: Used to describe a horse that has been approved to play again in a later chukker.

Field: 300 yards long and 160 yards wide (10 acres).

Goal: Occurs when the ball crosses over the endline and between the goal posts.

There is no height limit as to how high the ball can travel, so long as it travels between the goal posts.

Goal Post: Roughly 10 feet tall and set 8 yards apart at the center of each end zone, they are collapsible upon impact. They have a foam core and are covered with a heavy-duty vinyl.

Handicap: USPA-registered players are rated on a scale of -2 through 10 (the higher the better). -2 through 1-Goal players can go up in half-point increments.

Hook: An extremely effective defense technique where a player uses the mallet to interfere with an opponent’s swing.

Knock-In: Should a team, in an offensive drive, hit the ball across the opponents’ backline, the defending team resumes the game with a free hit from the backline.

Line-of-the-Ball or Right-of-Way: This imaginary line follows the path that the ball takes. On each side of this line is a lane, and these two lanes determine the right-ofway of the player in possession of the ball.

Nearside Shot: A shot, either forehand or backhand, made from the left side of the horse.

Neck Shot: A shot hit from either side of the horse that sends the ball under a horse’s neck.

Offside Shot: The most commonly-used shot in polo, where the ball is hit from the right side of the horse.

Penalty: A free hit towards the goal.

The severity of the foul committed determines what penalty will be awarded.

Penalty 1: An automatic goal awarded when a player commits a dangerous foul in the vicinity of the goal.

Penalty 2: Hit from a centered 30-yard line nearest the fouling team’s goal, or from the spot where the foul occurred.

Penalty 3: Hit from a centered 40-yard line nearest the fouling team’s goal.

Penalty 4: Hit from a centered 60-yard line nearest the fouling team’s goal.

Penalty 5(a): Hit from the spot where the ball was when the foul occurred.

Penalty 5(b): Hit from the center of the field.

Penalty 6 (Safety): When a player hits the ball over their own end line, the opposing team receives a hit 60 yards out.

Positions: Each of the four team members play a distinctly different role.

Players may momentarily swap positions, but they try to stay in their assigned position. sar asota polo 2 0 24

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No. 1 is the most forward offensive player. No. 2 is just as aggressive, but plays deeper. No. 3 is the pivot between offense and defense and tries to turn all plays to offense. No. 4, or the back, is the defensive player whose principle role is to protect the goal.

Red Card: Issued when a player accumulates multiple yellow cards, and results in suspension from the remainder of the game and no substitution for the next two minutes of game time.

Ride-Off: Occurs when two riders attempt to push each other off the line of the ball.

Tail Shot: A shot that involves hitting the ball behind and under the horse’s rump.

Third Man: The third referee who sits off the field. If and when the two umpires on the field are in disagreement, the third man breaks the tie and makes the final decision.

Throw-In: At the start of a chukker or after a goal is scored, players line up at midfield and an umpire will throw the ball down the line made by the two ready teams.

Umpires: Responsible for recognizing infringements and imposing penalties, and also monitoring the safety of the game for the players and the horses, these two individuals are mounted and on the field during play.

Yellow Card: Issued when a player displays unsportsmanlike conduct. The first offense in a game results in a penalty.

A second offense in a game results in the player sitting out for two minutes of play with no substitute. A third offense in a game could result in a red card.

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Tools OF THE Trade

The rules for equipment vary in details between the hosting authorities, but are always for the safety of the players and their mounts.

Polo, also known as the “sport of kings,” is a pastime that demands a kit to match. A polo player’s equipment is very important not only for safety, comfort and performance, but also to demonstrate the right attitude towards playing the game.

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Polo Knee Pads

Protective Helmet

Knee pads are an essential part of the kit, with a player’s legs very exposed to the rigors of the match in the saddle. Different players may favor different variations of polo knee pads, including either two or three straps (the third helping to further secure the pad if necessary).

Polo was once a form of training for cavalry a mentality that is easy to understand when you dress for a polo match today, with its own special protective equipment. Most important in this regard is the helmet, to insure the player against any glancing blows from the polo ball, stray mallets and other potential hazards of the sport. When choosing a helmet, it is mandatory that you select a product that has been approved by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOSCAE).

Polo Balls

Saddles Saddles are English-style with deep seats, like jumping saddles.

Different playing conditions can require different polo balls, so it’s best to consider which best suits your circumstances. In situations where weather conditions limit visibility, red balls can ensure a match goes ahead.

The standard ball for outdoor polo is made of plastic, measures about 3 to 3 ½ inches in diameter, and weights about 4 ounces.

Polo Bags

Regulation Spurs

Bags help carry each player’s equipment, including their boots, knee pads, gloves, helmet, spurs, and more.

Pair solid boots with some reliable spurs, preferably stainless steel, to help direct your mount to move forward or laterally as needed.

Polo Mallets At the business end of your polo game, the polo mallet needs the right specification for you. The weight of the mallet head and the length of the stick are both customizable to ensure this instrument suits the height of the pony, as well as the rider’s playing style. The mallet has a rubber-wrapped grip with a webbed thong for wrapping around the hand. It also has a flexible bamboo-cane shaft with a bamboo head 9 ½ inches in length. The entire mallet weighs around 7 ounces and varies in length from 48 to 53 inches, depending on the size of the pony and the length of the player’s arm. The ball is struck with the side of the mallet, not the end.

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Polo Boots For the same reasons that knee pads are essential to a polo player’s safety during a match, top quality riding boots are a must. Ideally, these made-for-polo boots should be thick, high quality leather with a good sole and ankle support.

Polo Gloves The best modern polo wear is designed not just for protection, but also comfort and challenging conditions. Good quality gloves can offer extra grip in slippery conditions and low temperatures, meaning a good pair can be the difference between success and failure in the key moments of a match.

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PE

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of P O PLE O

People of Polo

Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services

By Abby Weingarten

B

After years of practicing on their own, the opportunity came for ecoming a veterinarian is the dream of many children. the classmates-turned-friends to become business partners. The duo Those who ultimately choose the profession have leaped at the opportunity, purchasing Sarasota Equine Associates in a heartfelt passion for the animals, the people, October of 2019 and renaming it Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services. and the work.

The doctors at Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services use cutting“While becoming a veterinarian was my ambition from an early age, edge technology and medicine to provide a full line of mobile equine the decision to practice equine veterinary medicine came much later veterinary services. They have been bringing treatment to horses in my life. It is a very challenging profession,” said Dr. Clinton Kaiser, throughout the Sarasota-Manatee area for more than 30 years, owner of Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services. “Yet I have no regrets. including to the polo ponies residing at the Sarasota Polo Club.

Treating these extraordinary animals in such a wonderful locale has As the practice has continued to grow in been extremely fulfilling to me. The many clientele, it has also grown in team members. horses and clients that I have met over the Dr. Margaux Buchanan joined Sarasota years will truly be a part of my life forever.”

Equine Veterinary Services in 2020 with Born and raised in Puerto Rico, “The many horses and a special interest in internal medicine, Dr. Kaiser graduated from Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine clients that I have met over geriatric equines, equine dentistry, and the years will truly be a preventative medicine for sports horse care. in Alabama and completed an equine A native New Englander, Dr. Buchanan internship at Las Colinas Veterinary part of my life forever.” holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith Hospital in Texas. He has a special interest DR . CLINTON K AISER College and graduated from The Ohio State in general equine medicine and dentistry University College of Veterinary Medicine. and recently finished a course in equine She interned at East Coast Equine and Animal Medical Center in Vero acupuncture. This knowledge allows him to help horses with muscle Beach. For the first decade of her career, she worked with various ranch pain and soreness, as well as sweating issues. and western performance horses in the Central Valley of California, as While studying in Alabama, Dr. Kaiser met Dr. Juan Pablo Toro, well as English performance horses in Massachusetts. who at the time was a classmate. The two later became close friends. Dr. Now based in Sarasota, Dr. Buchanan plays polo in her spare time, Toro had a passion for farm animals which started very early in life. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was a farmer back in and recently began breeding polo ponies.’

Dr. Kelley A. Krish joined Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services in Puerto Rico. Dr. Toro has owned horses his entire life and developed a 2021. A graduate of Purdue University, Dr. Krish focuses on sports passion for breeding horses while practicing in Ocala for nearly 12 years. medicine but also provides general wellness care to horses.

This passion led him to specialize in reproductive medicine. sar asota polo 2 0 24

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contagious illnesses like equine influenza and rhinopneumonitis). The vaccines also protect horses if they happen to be exposed to tetanus (lockjaw) and rabies.

Preventative healthcare is one of the core values at Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services.

“Any time we vaccinate a horse, we do a full examination to ensure that the horse is healthy and that the heart, lungs, and intestines are functioning normally,” Dr. Buchanan said. “We check for sand in the gut, as consuming grass from sandy Florida soil will sometimes cause sand ingestion in horses, which can lead to colic (abdominal pain which is the leading cause of death in horses). So, preventing intestinal issues is paramount.”

Ophthalmic examinations are also part of Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services’ offering.

And, like elite human athletes, equine athletes like polo ponies require constant attention in order to ensure their peak performance.

Veterinarians conduct performance evaluations, as well as offer X-ray and ultrasound examinations in order to diagnose injuries. They also will inject joints, or other injured areas, with steroids, platelet-rich plasma, or stem cells.

As for their interaction with the Sarasota Polo Club, the work is frequent and in-depth.

“In season, Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services is a daily fixture at the Sarasota Polo Club. As the local comprehensive full-service equine veterinary clinic, we serve most of the players and farms within the Sarasota Polo Club. We have a doctor on-site almost daily,” Dr. Buchanan said.

A happy, healthy horse outperforms a stressed-out, sick horse. And Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services is here to help keep the polo ponies at the Sarasota Polo Club, as well as their equine counterparts throughout the community, happy and healthy.

“It certainly takes a village, and we are proud to be a part of the team that keeps these incredible equine athletes happy and healthy,” Dr. Buchanan said. “That is why we are on call 24/7, 365 days a year, for any of our client’s needs – from the polo pony to the retired pasture ornament!”

Dr. Gabrielle Cataford Sauve joined Sarasota Equine Associates in 2022. Born in Montreal, Canada, she completed her first year of veterinary school at Ross University in Saint Kitts, continued her doctorate in Quebec, and graduated from the University of Montreal in 2018. She slowly migrated south, and now calls Florida home. Her special interests include alternative therapies, such as chiropractic care, bodywork, wound care, and minor surgeries.

This now five-doctor team at Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services takes veterinary care to another level.

“Veterinary care is a comprehensive spectrum. Veterinarians wear many hats. We can be dentists, radiologists, internal medicine practitioners, sports medicine doctors, and even complementary medicine practitioners - all in one,” Dr. Buchanan said. “While veterinarians technically learn about all species during school, most of us choose to specialize in either just a few species or one specific organ system. Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services specializes in only one species - horses - but we do everything that we can for our equine patients.”

While domestication has many benefits for both horse health and longevity, confined care by humans also requires special considerations. In general, horses are supposed to both walk and eat for roughly 20 hours each day and, in the wild, could travel up to 20 miles per day. When horses are placed in captivity, the amount of time they eat and exercise is significantly reduced.

“Confinement produces unique challenges in terms of stomach ulcer prevention,” Buchanan said. “We are responsible for ensuring that the horses are getting fed both the correct amount as well as the right kind of hay throughout the day. We are also responsible for ensuring that they receive enough exercise in order to stay fit for the level of riding required of their discipline (for example, polo).”

It is recommended that horses receive twice-annual preventative care, as well as dentistry, diet, and exercise management.

Horses based in Florida require additional special care. Because mosquitoes abound year-round, Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services recommends vaccination twice per year against bug-borne diseases (for example, eastern and western equine encephalitis, West Nile virus, and

For more information on Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services,

visit sarasotaequineassociates.com, email sarasotaequine@verizon.net, or call 941-907-1147

Dr. Kelley A. Krish

Dr. Clinton Kaiser

Dr. Gabrielle Cataford Sauvé

Dr. Juan Pablo Toro-Clarke

Dr. Margaux Buchanan

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People of Polo PE

LO

Barry Weisblatt

of P O PLE O

Owner, WhiteLeaf Events

By Abby Weingarten

F

or WhiteLeaf Events Founder Barry Weisblatt, the pastime of watching polo is jampacked with nostalgia and a peaceful respite from his high-powered entertainment career.

“I have had a 37-year career in the music industry working as a talent agent and private event producer. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with some of the greatest entertainers in the world, including Paul McCartney, Elton John, James Taylor, Bon Jovi, Sting, Jerry Seinfeld, Billy Crystal, Chris Rock, Alicia Keys, Cher, Maroon 5, Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé, and Bruno Mars,” Weisblatt said. “And everything that has happened in my career has led to my latest project here in Sarasota.”

That project is the WhiteLeaf Private Concert Club (WPCC), which is a membership-only concert club for music lovers and discerning private audiences. The club will present three exclusive, private events a year picking up where the great annual Firefly event left off, with a different direction and feel.

“The membership is purposefully being limited to only 275 members and their guests, so that the audience will be guaranteed an extremely unique and up-close-and-personal concert and entertainment experience,” Weisblatt said. “We will be featuring some of the biggest and most popular entertainers in the world. It will be a fully-catered private event filled with comedy, music and late-night dancing.”

Weisblatt looks forward to sharing WPCC with the Sarasota Polo community, which he has been a part of since moving south several years ago from North Salem, New York.

North Salem, where Weisblatt previously lived for 10 years, is also a vibrant equestrian community. There, he and his wife Caroline and son Zack, enjoyed a lifestyle filled with horses, and Weisblatt often reflects on that idyllic past.

“Whether it was the weekly ‘hunt’ that criss crossed through town, or the numerous horse farms that surrounded our home, or the amazing equestrian events at Old Salem Farm - it was an exceptional way to become immersed in that way of life,” Weisblatt said.

Today, Weisblatt immerses himself in the culture by attending Sarasota Polo Club’s Sunday Polo matches.

“Going to watch polo reminds me of attending a college or NFL

For more information on the WhiteLeaf Private Concert Club and WhiteLeaf Events, visit whiteleafevents.com

tailgate event,” Weisblatt said, adding that his son, a senior at the Out Of Door Academy works at the Sarasota Polo Club to assist in the facilitation of the public matches. “Zack loves the experience and, at the same time, has benefited from learning what it means to have a job, be accountable, provide a service, and interact with the community and attendees. It’s been a great opportunity for him.”

Professional and personal opportunities in Weisblatt’s own life have been plentiful. Following a long career as a celebrity talent agent, he launched his world-renowned event production company, WhiteLeaf Entertainment, in 2002. But his career first began in the mailroom of the talent agency Associated Booking Corporation, where he made copies and brought coffee to the owner. Within 3 months, Weisblatt was given his own desk, phone, and rolodex, with instructions to start booking one of his heroes: blues musician B.B. King.

From there, Weisblatt began his talent agent journey, working with agency clients like Guns N’ Roses, Paul McCartney, Nine Inch Nails and many others. During this time, Weisblatt discovered soul singer Joan Osborne, whose debut album “Relish” was nominated for six Grammy Awards.

Weisblatt’s venture, WhiteLeaf Events, has since developed into one of the premier boutique event production companies in the country.

Weisblatt specializes in hiring and producing celebrity entertainment for galas, fundraisers, social, private, and corporate events. Past and present clients include The United States Ski & Snowboard Foundation, Baron Funds, Choice Hotels, CNN, Harley-Davidson, Motorola, the New York Giants, Revlon, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Tiffany & Co., Help For Children, The Samuel Waxman Foundation, and Tommy Hilfiger.

As his portfolio continues to expand with the emergence of the WhiteLeaf Private Concert Club, Weisblatt will be relishing the entertainment he has come to know through the Sarasota Polo Club.

“It is all just a lot of fun,” Weisblatt said. “I love the sense of community here.”

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People of Polo

PE

Owner, A Vine Affair

of P O PLE O

LO

Gina Lyons

By Abby Weingarten

C

hampagne specialist and wine educator Gina Lyons adores sparkling libations and Sunday Polo at the Sarasota Polo Club.

Through her 2020-founded company, A Vine Affair, she has become interconnected with the local equestrian community, and often hosts VIP events for her clients at the Sarasota Polo Club.

“What I love about polo is the atmosphere of the Sunday Polo matches,” said Lyons, who has been a corporate partner of the Sarasota Polo Club since 2021. “It is amazing to watch the skills of the polo players, and the horses are a also beautiful sight to see.”

Beautiful experiences abound in Lyons’ life. As a “champagne and caviar concierge,” she hosts private tastings in upscale homes, on yachts, and for corporate events. She also takes groups on luxury trips to Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and St. Barts.

When she is not traveling, Lyons enjoys spending time at the Sarasota Polo Club, mingling with the Sarasota Polo community and savoring the sport of polo. She regularly organizes exclusive gatherings that combine culinary sophistication with a bit of equestrian flare.

“This past summer, I have been working with Ashlie Osburg, the Sarasota Polo School Instructor, to organize private polo lessons combined with a champagne aperitif experience,” Lyons said. “It has been one of my favorite experiences to offer because you get to learn the sport of polo, and your reward afterwards is a fabulous presentation of champagne and French cheese. The Sarasota Polo Club is the perfect setting for this experience.”

And Sarasota has been the perfect setting for Lyons to build her business. Lyons grew the concept during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was looking for a way to continue hosting champagne and food experiences for gourmands and connoisseurs throughout the world.

In March 2020, during the lockdown, Lyons began hosting weekly virtual wine tastings, collaborating with Michelin suppliers (such as Champagne Louis Roederer Champagne, Champagne BillecartSalmon, Champagne Frerejean Freres, as well as food and wine

For more information on A Vine Affair, visit avineaffair.com

pairings with Sabatino Truffles and Haute Caviar Company). Lyons’ personal experience living abroad in Europe and Asia for more than a decade helped her cultivate an elevated appreciation for food and wine.

She left her corporate job in 2019 to pursue her current passion full-time, which has since involved earning multiple certifications. Lyons became a champagne ambassador and connoisseur who has sampled countless champagnes, visited the region of Champagne multiple times, and shared her expertise with thousands of spectators (both in person and online).

On the caviar front, Lyons completed a caviar sommelier certification from the Asia Pacific Wine and Spirit Institute, and she has been mentored by several caviar producers and houses. In 2022, Lyons was inducted into the Cristal Rosé Picking Club, where she became part of a small group of champagne enthusiasts and educators who gather twice a year in Champagne to taste the vins clairs of Cristal and harvest the grapes of Cristal Rosé.

Lyons holds a Wine & Spirit Education Trust Level 3 certification in wine; is a Wine Scholar Guild champagne masterclass candidate; specialized in sensory techniques for wine analysis at the University of California, Davis; and took the Richard Juhlin champagne masterclass.

Bringing this highly sophisticated skillset to the community of Lakewood Ranch and the members of the Sarasota Polo Club makes perfect sense. The people she has met appreciate the finer things in life, and Lyons is happy to bring them into focus through a plethora of exclusive events and experiences.

“I love the polo community, the setting of the Sarasota Polo Club, the sport, and the horses,” Lyons said. “It is so much fun to see thousands of people show up and have a wonderful Sunday afternoon, and to introduce people to the great champagne, cheese, and caviar I have come to know and love over the years.”

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LO

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People of Polo

Rachel & Denny Woodruff Co-Founder, House Match

By Abby Weingarten

W

portfolio building easy and profitable). hen realtor Rachel Woodruff is not selling “I spend the majority of my time helping wonderful people houses and relishing time at her Myakka City with their real estate goals and helping to grow my team,” home, she is attending Sunday Polo matches Rachel Woodruff said. and tailgating with friends. She and her Denny Woodruff was born and raised in Myakka City, and polo-playing husband, Denny Woodruff, have been regulars his family was involved in the very at the Sarasota Polo Club since they beginnings of polo in the area. His met in 2009, and the members of the aunt was a groom for Robin Uihlein, equestrian community have begun to “ What I enjoy the most feel like their second family. and his uncle (Randy Ballard) played “The Sarasota Polo Club has been with the Uihleins while managing about the Sarasota Polo the cowboy side of Schroedera big part of our lives and, in our free Club are the friendships Manatee Ranch, Inc. time, I love watching Denny play that I have built and Polo historians know that the polo,” Rachel Woodruff said. continue to build over the Known locally as the “House” Sarasota Polo Club is synonymous with the Uihlein family. The behind the real estate company, years through the sport.”

Uihleins originally procured a House Match (her maiden name is DENNY WOODRUFF 28,000-acre property in 1922 and House), Rachel Woodruff began her career in 1996. She is the co-founder developed it over the years – from a timber farm to an amalgam of agricultural businesses known as of the lauded, Lakewood Ranch-based business, and she Schroeder-Manatee Ranch. specializes in sales, property development, and investing.

While the Sarasota Polo Club itself was not developed until In 2015, she partnered with Matt Bohanon, and now their team has grown to 18 members (who all take a full concierge 1991, ranch-style “cowboy polo” was played in a former cow approach to helping clients make homeownership and pasture near the Schroeder-Manatee Ranch headquarters, sar asota polo 2 0 24

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For more information on House Match, visit housematch.com

involving both ranchers and executives. This was the polo that Randy Ballard was involved in decades ago. When plans were approved to turn a portion of the land into the Lakewood Ranch community, the Sarasota Polo Club served as the centerpiece of the development.

“My personal love for polo came from the horses that lived at my grandma’s house and the camaraderie with the people who played the sport. The love for actually playing the sport came second,” Denny Woodruff said, adding that he joined the Sarasota Polo Club 14 years ago. “What I enjoy the most about the Sarasota Polo Club are the friendships that I have built and continue to build over the years through the sport.”

Denny Woodruff previously worked in management at Publix and then with D’Andrea Provisions of Sarasota, an authorized distributor of the Boar’s Head brand. He currently helps his wife with her real estate career.

Rachel Woodruff may not have been born into a polo-playing family like her husband, as she was born in Tennessee and attended school in Southern California. But she put down her roots in the Lakewood Ranch community shortly after the Sarasota Polo Club was founded.

“We had a vacation home here in the area, and my parents decided that this was the place to retire,” Rachel Woodruff said. “Right out of high school, I heard of Lakewood Ranch and, coming from California where master-planned development communities were a thing, I fell in love.”

That love led Rachel Woodruff to invest in the development before many people had even heard of it.

“I bought my first house in Lakewood Ranch in 1994, and I was one of the first 50 people to buy here when my neighbors were cows,” Rachel Woodruff said with a laugh.

The neighborhood has changed, of course, and Lakewood Ranch – along with the Sarasota Polo Club – has expanded from a rural landscape to a thriving community. The Woodruffs are thrilled to be a part of it.

What is That?

K EY TER MS & DEFINITIONS A. Bandages

D. Breast Plate

G. Saddle

Protective wrapping that shields the ponies’ legs against contact with the ball.

Stops the saddle from slipping back.

B. Boots

This series of leather starrings and supports gives the player steering and stopping control.

A polo player’s seat during the game. It is kept stable by a girth that fits around the stomach of the horse.

Oftentimes placed on top of bandages on the front legs for further protection.

C. Braided Tail Prevents interference with the mallet.

E. Bridle

F. Horseshoe Designed to enhance a horse’s hooves through additional cushion and protection, as well as prevent the hooves from wearing down too quickly. sar asota polo 2 0 24

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H. Stirrup Holds the foot of the rider, and is attached to the saddle by a strap known as the stirrup leather.

I. Reins & Draw Reins To enhance control of the pony.

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Meet the Voice

OF SARASOTA POLO

By Abby Weingarten

Bradley Hendrix has undeniable charisma, and spectators at the Sarasota Polo Club look forward to hearing his vibrant voice and play-by-plays during polo matches each season.

But calling a polo match is no easy feat.

There is plenty of memorization, quick thinking, wittiness, and preparation involved.

Considering the average polo spectator does not know exactly what is happening as the game unfolds, a skilled announcer plays a critical role in the event. He makes the plays easier to understand by putting the activity in laymen’s terms and adding some levity.

And Hendrix is no stranger to bringing humor and fun to everything he does. He started entertaining in middle school – performing in plays and musicals, taking photographs, and dabbling as a disc jockey during school dances.

“I always try to bring high energy to each match.

Using my years of DJ experience and my knowledge of polo, I strongly believe in the ‘Three Es’ rule: Engage, Educate, and Entertain,” Hendrix said. “I am absolutely humbled and lucky to make a living entertaining people and be a part of the Sarasota Polo Club.”

This summer will be Hendrix’s 17th year as announcer and disc jockey for the Brandywine Polo Club in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania; his third year

with the Meadow Brook Polo Club in Long Island, New York; and his fourth year with the Sarasota Polo Club. When he is not announcing polo, Hendrix hosts trivia shows and DJs on the weekends. He also volunteers for several charities throughout the year and spends his free time hiking.

“The team at the Sarasota Polo Club are the absolute best people to work with and are the reason for the Sarasota Polo Club’s great success over the past couple of years,” Hendrix said.

The feeling is mutual for Lautzenheiser, the Sarasota Polo Club’s Director of Operations.

“Bradley has been a great addition to our team. He not only handles the announcing and music for each of our public events, but he also helps us throughout the week with various tasks,” Lautzenheiser said. “He is passionate about what he does, and we are grateful to have him on board for another season.”

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“I am absolutely humbled and lucky to make a living entertaining people and be a part of the Sarasota Polo Club.”

Bradley Hendrix

SARASOTA POLO CLUB ANNOUNCER

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Seahorses to Polo From

As the new Mote Science Education Aquarium (Mote SEA) prepares to open in Nathan Benderson Park in late 2024, Sarasota Polo Club owners James and Misdee Miller are excited to be a part of the new program.

“Dr. Crosby, Mote’s CEO, first approached Misdee and I to become more involved in the expansion of Mote into the Lakewood Ranch community,” James said. “Mote was seeking major sponsors for both their new exhibits as well as their multiple research areas within the new aquarium. Misdee and I candidly agreed that the seahorse exhibit is too coincidental not to be a part of, so we decided to help with that research center.”

“Misdee and I certainly love polo and the unique equestrian lifestyle it brings to our community,” James said. “The commitment that we have made through the purchase of the Sarasota Polo Club rewards us every time we gather with our neighbors and patrons.”

The Millers are as much equine enthusiasts as they are ardent philanthropists. sar asota polo 2 0 24

“We are very active in many community organizations,” James and Misdee said. “We feel that philanthropic efforts enrich and educate the lives of everyone. We know that many of our fellow members and sponsors contribute regularly to the efforts of Mote Marine, and we are simply joining the effort.”

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium has been an educational, enriching staple in the Sarasota community since the opening of the City Island location in 1980. Mote’s ‘Creatures from the Coastal Oceans’ exhibit is where the seahorses currently live, along with jellyfish, sea urchins, crabs, cowries, tulip snails, whelks, and sea cucumbers.

The expansion location, Mote SEA (for which construction began in April of 2021), will sit on 12 acres in Nathan Benderson Park near I-75. To realize the vision for this building, a fundraising effort was created called ‘Oceans for All: Improving Access to Marine Science & Technology.’

The fundraiser aimed to secure $130 million through contributions from individuals, families, and foundation donors |

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Horses who were interested in investing in improving and maintaining the health of our oceans, like the Millers.

The fundraiser also encouraged in-kind investments from partner organizations and corporations. Local, state, and federal support was also received.

Mote SEA is poised to enhance hands-on science and technology opportunities for all students, as well as improve ocean literacy for every local resident. The building will feature more than 110,000 square feet of space, with over one million gallons of water housing an array of sharks, coral reef creatures, manatees, sea turtles, and otters. The current Mote location boasts upwards of 100 marine species.

Augmented reality technology will abound in the new space to create an immersive ocean biome for visitors, and interactive teaching labs will be accessible to the local schools.

“Mote has a very unique and powerful platform

We are excited to be part of a program that is vital to the future of our precious ocean waters.

James Miller

OWNER SARASOTA POLO CLUB

41

While you will not find seahorses on the premises of the Sarasota Polo Club when attending a Sunday Polo match, there is a definitive community connection to these creatures.

from which to educate and inform people – young and old – about the importance of preserving our Gulf, oceans, and all creatures that live within,” James said.

On the seahorse front, Mote’s ‘Adopt an Animal’ program supports the populations of these tiny creatures by breeding them and reducing the amount of seahorses collected from the wild. This is important because, although seahorses are experts at camouflage, they are not always successful at hiding from predators.

One of the largest threats to their population is illegal capture by humans for use in home aquariums and medicines. Helping save these animals, and preserve the overall health of the oceans, is a cause near and dear to the Millers’ hearts.

“We need to foster a balanced ecosystem that will thrive for generations to come,” James said. “We are excited to be part of a program that is vital to the future of our precious ocean waters.”

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AT THE TOP OF

Her Game

By Abby Weingarten

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Stuart Campbell and Moonshine have an unbreakable bond. The Sarasota-based polo professional and his 17-year-old horse have been inseparable for the past 15 years, winning countless accolades while playing polo together.

“Having good horses increases the competitive aspect of the game. When you see someone ride out onto the field on one of their good horses – as a spectator, teammate, or opponent – you know you have to pay attention because something special might happen,” said Mason Wroe, the Sarasota Polo Club’s Director of Polo. “Stuart and Moonshine are the epitome of this. When you see him ride out onto the field on this mare, you know that he is going to get a lot of plays.”

Indeed, special things have been happening to Campbell ever since he relocated from his home in South Africa to the United States decades ago – long before he even met Moonshine. A South African army veteran, Campbell grew up show jumping before discovering his passion for polo.

“Polo was basically a farmer’s sport, or weekend hobby, in South Africa,” Campbell said. “I heard about how big polo was in the United States and wanted to give it a try, so I decided to move so that I could continue to learn more about the sport.”

Soon after, Campbell fortuitously found a summer grooming job in Greenwich, Connecticut.

“It was definitely an eye-opening experience,” Campbell said. “I learned about the work schedule of the polo ponies, and I was able to watch a lot of high-goal polo matches. It was incredible.”

At the end of the summer, Campbell was supposed to head home to South Africa, but several people encouraged him to stay and experience a winter in Palm Beach.

“It did not take much to twist this polo addict’s arm to extend my stay,” Campbell said.

Campbell was able to find a job for the winter, and became the sole caretaker of 12 polo ponies and, on his days off, would unload semi-trucks of hay to earn extra money. Later, another polo professional connected Campbell with a sponsor based out of Detroit, Michigan, who ended up hiring Campbell for the summer - not just as a groom, but also as his professional player.

Pleased with Campbell’s work, Campbell was offered a string of polo ponies, a truck and trailer, and a barn that he could use in Sarasota. The only catch was that Campbell had to cover the expenses of the horses.

“It was a gamble, but I was ready for this huge opportunity,” Campbell said. “I drove down to Sarasota for the 1995 winter season. I pulled off I-75 onto this little road called University Parkway, and it seemed like I had arrived in the middle of nowhere. And then, suddenly, amongst all of the cow pastures, appeared these beautiful polo fields.”

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Campbell could not afford a full-time groom at the time, so he hired a woman by the name of Victoria Clarke - whose father (John Clarke) and brother (James Clarke) were active players at the Sarasota Polo Club.

“Victoria was studying in college but would come home on the weekends and groom for games in order to make extra money. Not only did I fall in love with Sarasota; I also fell in love with Victoria,” Campbell said. “Victoria’s family was from Zimbabwe, so we had a lot in common.

Victoria and I have now been happily married for 26 years, and we have two lovely kids - Pippa and Ian - who also play polo.”

Moonshine, undoubtedly, is also considered part of Campbell’s family.

Purchased in Saratoga, New York, as a two-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred, Campbell trained her to play polo once her racing career was complete.

“Moonshine has been my favorite horse that I have played. While she showed her talent from the beginning, I never knew how big her heart truly was and how fast she could run until I started playing her in tournaments,” Campbell said. “She came through the ranks very quickly, and has not only helped me win many important games, but has won multiple Best Playing Pony awards.”

Moonshine was so talented, in fact, that Campbell was approached by one of the teams playing in the U.S. Open, as one of the players was interested in purchasing her for his string.

“I loaded her up to take her over to Wellington for the big sale, but my emotions got the better of me. After driving for a couple of hours with tears rolling down my cheeks, I decided to turn around and bring her back home,” Campbell said. “I will never forget the look in my wife’s eyes when I returned home with Moonshine still in the trailer. She was looking forward to seeing a big check in the trailer - not Moonshine.

Fortunately, Moonshine has continued to play a pivotal role in my polo career.”

Despite turning 17 last year, Moonshine won yet another Best Playing Pony award while playing at the Sarasota Polo Club during the 2023 Season. Campbell is grateful for Moonshine and for the many experiences the sport of polo has afforded him.

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You step up when it matters most We are proud to support the Sarasota Polo Club.

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Every Thur sday from March 14th to April 11th

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Gates open at 4:30 pm Match begins at 5:30 pm Join the party for the Sunset Polo Happy Hour at the Sarasota Polo Club on Thursday nights at 5:30 p.m. from March 14th through April 11th. Enjoy exciting polo action, tailgating, food, drinks and divot-stomping against a backdrop of a breathtaking sunset.

Once the polo action is complete for the evening, stick around and join us for live music!

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Compassionately for Polo Ponies What is involved in the care of a polo pony? It is more complicated and comprehensive than onlookers may realize

By Abby Weingarten

A groom’s typical day with a horse starts before sunrise with feeding, grooming, and exercising, and extends past sunset. Learning the needs of every horse and tailoring all aspects of care to its personality, metabolism, age, and workload are essential aspects of the profession.

“A good groom can make or break how great horses can perform,” Amanda Shelton said.

“A good groom can tell when a horse is uncomfortable, agitated, or sore. I love my job as a caretaker because I know that I can help the horses – through feeding, exercise,

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or training – reach their full potential while keeping them happy and healthy.”

“A polo pony is a horse, like any other. It has all of the same basic needs, strengths, and weaknesses as any other horse,” Dr. Redman of Equine Integrated Veterinary Solutions says. “It needs to have free access to water, vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and roughage in the form of fresh grass, hay, or silage.

It needs to be fed high-quality feed on a regular schedule. It needs to be groomed and handled regularly, and it requires regular social/herd interaction.”

Groom Amanda Shelton walks one of the polo ponies in her care to the field for a polo match.

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Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services provides both dentistry and internal medicine services for many of the ponies playing at the Sarasota Polo Club.

Just like cats, dogs, or any other house pets, polo ponies also require routine veterinary check-ups in order to evaluate proper skin, gut and cardiovascular health. Vaccines and dewormers must be administered on a regular basis for disease prevention. Teeth must be monitored and “floated” to remove sharp edges, so that dental, oral and gastrointestinal issues are prevented.

Monitoring subtle deficits is crucial so that they can be addressed before they turn into bigger problems.

Dr. Margaux Buchanan of Sarasota Equine Veterinary Services has spent many years assessing the health of polo ponies, including those residing and playing at the Sarasota Polo Club. She and her team provide a complete line of mobile veterinary services, including equine dentistry.

“We are not just wellness physicians and internal medicine doctors. We are also dentists,” Dr. Buchanan said. “Horses spend roughly 20 hours of their day chewing. While their teeth have evolved to grind and digest the grass and hay that makes up the majority of their diet, the teeth still wear down. Because of this, their teeth continue to grow and erupt out of their gum line throughout their lives.”

If a horse chews unevenly, this can cause unbalanced wear and tear on the teeth, which can cause horses to experience chewing issues or struggle to maintain a healthy weight. Historically, dental floating was done by farriers or other equine professionals. But veterinarians are now often doubling as equine dentists, adding the service to their checklist during annual examinations.

“Just like we have discovered that regular dental care increases the quality of life in ourselves and in our house pets, we have found that the same applies to horses,” Dr. Buchanan said. “Since we cannot ask them to open their mouths and say ‘ah,’ we give a light sedative that allows the horse to stay standing during the procedure. We then use an oral speculum to hold their mouth open while we examine all of their teeth (they can have up to 44!) for cavities, gaps, gingivitis, and uneven wear and tear.”

The veterinarians then file any sharp edges and care for any dental diseases that they might observe during the examination.

Hernan trims the foot of a polo pony so that it can perform at its best.

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For performance horses, annual dental care is even more important. The bit each horse wears rests up against their teeth, and any sharp edges (known as points) can cause the bit to function incorrectly or become painful to the horse.

“With all of the stopping, starting, and technical moves that are required of polo ponies, we want to ensure that the equipment they are wearing is working optimally. Most polo players have their horses’ teeth floated annually, before the polo season starts,” Dr. Buchanan said.

As important as the teeth are, a horse’s feet are even more important.

“I firmly believe that good shoeing is the most important thing for a horse, as the athlete’s health begins in the foot,” Hernan Bianco said.

Bianco, a farrier since 2020, spends his days specializing in equine hoof care. As a farrier, he handles the trimming and balancing of a horse’s hooves, as well as the placement of shoes. A farrier combines the skills of both a traditional blacksmith with specific veterinary techniques in order to provide quality care for a horse’s feet to allow them to perform at their best.

And, when a polo pony is not feeling its best, Dr. Redman of Equine Integrated Veterinary Solutions is called to evaluate.

“As a veterinarian whose practice is devoted to medical manipulation of equine athletes, also known as equine chiropractic, my interaction with polo ponies at the Sarasota Polo Club tends to be on a 58

Dr. Sean Redman of Equine Integrated Veterinary Solutions (EIVS) practices medical manipulation of equine athletes, also known as equine chiropractic.

periodic basis,” Dr. Redman said. “I address specific performance problems, which may arise at any time due to the stressors of daily life and the rigors of the sport. A practitioner such as myself needs to rule out lameness caused by foot or leg soreness, neurological, or systemic disease.”

Chiropractic and acupuncture methods comprise a large portion of Dr. Redman’s treatment plans. A chiropractic evaluation for a horse includes examining the animal’s range of motion in the individual joints of the spinal column and extremities. Once any restricted areas are identified, manipulations are made to restore symmetrical movement.

Acupuncture then stimulates particular points along the 12 meridians of the body to allow for a better flow of energy in the horse, restoring natural balance. Once an imbalance or pattern in the equine is identified, treatment at specific points along the meridians improves the flow of energy and blood throughout the various organ systems in the body.

Acupuncture treatments bring the body back into a balanced state while providing natural pain relief, regulating the immune system, and decreasing inflammation. Aqua-puncture and electroacupunture are common variants used in addition to dry needling to further stimulate the points of focus.

A combination of these traditional and nontraditional techniques keeps polo ponies in prime shape for game day.

If a polo pony’s health is maintained aggressively, any

Just like cats, dogs, or any other house pets, polo ponies also require routine veterinary check-ups in order to evaluate proper skin, gut and cardiovascular health.

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performance deficit that arises is more likely to be simple and thoroughly addressed in short order. A better health maintenance program produces a healthier horse, which results in a more competitive athlete.

Balancing the need to address specific health concerns of a single horse versus those of the whole herd is also a challenge. The logistical difficulty of arranging proper nutrition, medication, equipment, tack, turnout, training, conditioning, and transportation for the benefit of every horse in a string or stable of polo ponies is formidable.

And this comprehensive care is crucial for keeping polo ponies healthy and safe, especially during their active season.

“Horses are prone to all sorts of health problems. If not for exceptional care and attention to their health needs, equine athletes would be more susceptible to many of these issues as a result of the training and competition demands placed on them,” Dr. Redman said. “Polo ponies are trained daily, fed high-calorie diets, sometimes shipped long distances, and ridden hard. If they are not kept healthy in all respects, as much as possible, small problems can easily snowball to become big ones.”

“All members of the team should cooperate and communicate to solve performance problems in polo ponies. The health of the athlete is best when owners, managers, riders, grooms, trainers, veterinarians, physiotherapists, and farriers all work together for his benefit.”

IT’S RAINING EASTER EGGS

at the Sarasota Polo Club!

S

By Abby Weingarten

ince 2019, the Easter Eggstravaganza and halftime helicopter egg drop at the Sarasota Polo Club has been enticing people to spend their Easter Sunday watching polo.

Brainstormed by the Sarasota Polo Club’s Director of Operations Paige Lautzenheiser in an attempt to attract a larger crowd on a normally quiet Sunday, the event started out humbly but has grown exponentially - with over 10,000 eggs and more than 2,000 loose toys and candies dropped last season alone.

“The idea was inspired by a helicopter

Easter egg drop that my parents took me to when I was younger,” Lautzenheiser said. “At the time, I never imagined I would be coordinating one of my own, but the concept absolutely wowed me. When I started working for the Sarasota Polo Club back in 2018, I knew the facility would be a perfect venue for a helicopter Easter egg drop.”

So Lautzenheiser pitched the concept to Sarasota Polo Club owner James Miller, who just so happens to be a helicopter pilot.

“James had mentioned to me that he had done helicopter drops in the past to help various charities fundraise money, so I knew that he was experienced with doing something of this nature. I was thrilled when he told me that he was totally on board with us doing a helicopter Easter egg drop at the Sarasota Polo Club.”

The two of them immediately started the planning process to turn the concept into reality. The first step? Deciding how many Easter eggs to drop.

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2023 Easter Egg Drop Stat Pack 5,000 Attendees 2 Helicopters 10,000 Easter Eggs 2,000 Pieces of Candy

“Easter was notoriously a slower day for us, so James and I thought 1,500 eggs would be more than plenty,” Lautzenheiser said. “But, boy, were we wrong!”

They never expected the overwhelming response.

This new concept had all of a sudden made the Sarasota Polo Club an Easter Sunday destination that could not be missed.

“After the massive success of the inaugural event, we knew we had to do it again the following year - but bigger and better,” Lautzenheiser said, “We learned 1,500 eggs were not enough, so we decided to double the egg count. We dropped just over 3,000 eggs in year two.”

But still that was not enough. In year three, 5,000 eggs were dropped. And, in year four, over 6,500 eggs were dropped.

“For year five, I decided to go even bigger,” Lautzenheiser said. “I brought in around 10,000 Easter eggs. Up until this point, I had been hunkering down in the weeks leading up to the big event and stuffing all of the eggs myself. But when I barely got the 6,000 eggs from year four stuffed, I knew I was going to need some help getting my newly-acquired 10,000 eggs ready to drop.”

Luckily, Lautzenheiser had volunteers, like Sarasota Polo Club player Sylvia McNichol, who were willing to donate their time.

“In previous years, I have been recruited by Paige to help keep the children back behind the polo boards while the helicopter dropped the eggs on the field.

Every year, we can barely hold them back. I vividly remember their faces. They are always so excited when they are finally able to run out onto the polo field. In seconds, all of the eggs are gone. When Paige reached out to me this year asking for help stuffing eggs because they were throwing even more eggs this year, I remembered those faces and I wanted to help.”

Interested in helping with the 2024 Easter Eggstravaganza? Email Director of Operations Paige Lautzenheiser at Paige@SarasotaPolo.com.

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Emily Atkinson, another event volunteer, agreed.

“Stuffing eggs for the helicopter Easter egg drop was such a fun activity during the weeks leading up to the big event,” Atkinson said. “Especially during a busy week of polo, it gave me fun little breaks to look forward to. I loved getting to help the awesome community around me, and this allowed me to contribute in a way that worked with my busy schedule as a polo groom.”

Volunteers look forward to helping again this year.

“I will be more than ready to stuff more eggs.

It is a great event for the entire family. Back in Washington, D.C., we used to have a guy that sold balloons on the street, and he would say, ‘When the children are happy, everybody is happy.’”

McNichol and numerous other fellow volunteers have been critical to the occasion, and they now have the egg-stuffing craft down to a science. They make sure not to use any chocolate (which melts in the warm helicopter and the Florida heat), and they tape every egg shut in order to prevent it from cracking open when it lands on the ground.

“I am so fortunate to have an amazing group of friends and volunteers that rally for me every Easter,” said Lautzenheiser. “They not only help me get ready for the big event in the weeks leading up to it; they also hold down their assigned battle station and keep the kids behind the polo boards while I am up there in the helicopter dropping the eggs. I know that we can continue to grow this event, to make it bigger and better than the year before, because of my awesome support team. I could not do it without them.”

Student Athletes Make Their Mark in the Sarasota Polo School

By Abby Weingarten

U

There is nothing I love more than seeing someone smiling and rosy-cheeked after a lesson or a chukker, flushed with endorphins.

Ashlie Osburg

SARASOTA POLO SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR

p-and-coming polo players are harnessing their athletic potential, with gentle guidance from their instructor at the Sarasota Polo School.

“As the Sarasota Polo Club continues to grow and evolve, it is very exciting to see new players bringing their talents to our polo fields,” said Mason Wroe, the Director of Polo at the Sarasota Polo Club. “The level of competition is steadily increasing year after year, and the younger players are hungrier than ever to make their mark.”

Instructor Ashlie Osburg and her professional polo player husband, Neil Osburg, offer hour-long lessons and mentorship in the Step-Up Program. Polo lessons are held Tuesday through Sunday, either in the arena or on the field. Lessons include the rental of a professionally-tacked, experienced polo pony, as well as a helmet, mallet, and ball.

“This is my third winter teaching at the Sarasota Polo Club,” Ashlie said. “All of my lesson horses are safe, reliable, forgiving, and so patient.”

Students learn basic horsemanship and swing mechanics, take lessons in the arena, progress to arena chukkers, and then move to lessons on the grass to prepare for sar asota polo 2 0 24

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participating in Sunshine League chukkers.

While other polo schools might utilize a remote area for learning and teaching, the Sarasota Polo School and its horses are located right on the grounds of the Sarasota Polo Club. This gives students the opportunity to take lessons in the morning and watch polo matches in the afternoon without ever leaving the property.

The Sarasota Polo School currently has an enrollment of 35 students (ranging in ages from six to 74) with varying levels of experience.

“It is so great to watch a person get on a horse for the first time, learn to ride and communicate with the horse, and learn how to hit the ball,” Ashlie said. “There is nothing I love more than seeing someone smiling and rosy-cheeked after a lesson or a chukker, flushed with endorphins.”

Ashlie, originally from Chicago, Illinois, has been riding horses since the age of seven.

She started her equestrian career competing in dressage and hunter jumper competitions, and training horses for clients in high school.

She went on to study Equine Science at the University of Kentucky. Her husband, Neil, who is from Clearwater Beach, has been playing polo since he was 10. The couple met at a polo club in Wellington, and have become an unstoppable duo at the Sarasota Polo Club. They are passionate about teaching people the sport of polo.

“I find teaching so rewarding and I love every aspect of my job,” Ashlie said. “First and foremost, I love my lesson horses. It takes a truly special horse to take care of beginners but also have the ability to take a student to the next level.”

With the Osburgs’ encouragement, several students have already progressed to the next level, including Elizabeth Owen, Michael Brown, Leanne Moll, and Sri Pallavaram.

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Elizabeth Owen Age: 47 Hometown: Osprey, FL Owen has been interested in playing polo ever since she first drove by the Sarasota Polo Club’s lush green polo fields back in 2021.

“I fell in love with the idea of being on a horse again, after a very long hiatus, and wondered if I could still ride,” Owen said. “Now, this will be my second playing season at the Sarasota Polo Club. What I love about the Sarasota Polo School is that, on any given day, I could be riding with a stay-at-home mom, a middle schooler, a brilliant physician, a famous inventor, or a retiree. A polo pony is a great equalizer.”

Owen’s riding background is unique and diverse.

She has gone from Wild West trick riding at the Dixie Stampede Dinner Theatre to touring with the Lipizzaner Stallions while riding dressage.

Owen loves that polo incorporates aspects of each discipline.

“No matter what style you have ridden in the past, that education will come in handy learning polo,” Owen said. “And, if you have no experience at all, the Sarasota Polo School is the perfect place to start properly.

You can swing a mallet on day one and learn horsemanship along the way.”

In fact, some of the best students are brand-new riders.

“I have always assumed that polo was unattainable to the everyday person, but the Sarasota Polo Club has taught me that anyone can play polo,” Owen said.

Owen is a College of the Ozarks alumna who retired from riding to raise a family

in Manhattan, New York. When she is not playing polo, she is faceting gemstones, making polo jewelry, metal detecting, sewing, and fishing.

“I grew up in a non-equine military family, and my parents thought that my fascination with horses was just a phase,” Owen said. “Living in Texas and desperate to ride, at 12 years old I pedaled my bicycle to every farm I could reach and left a note on the gate offering to feed and clean stalls in exchange for the opportunity to ride. One family farm called and so began my true equine education.”

Then, during college, Owen auditioned for the Dixie Stampede and began the adventure of a lifetime.

“From teaching horses high school routines to working on trick riding, Roman riding, training doves, loading ostriches, racing pigs, exhibiting flyball dogs, barrel racing, and dancing, it was never a dull moment,” Owen said. “I went from one facility to another as needed, sourcing horses and getting them used to the crowds, fireworks, cyber lights, fog machines, and flag carrying.”

After her college graduation, Owen fulfilled her lifelong dream of touring with the Lipizzaner Stallions.

“I started out as a groom but, when they were in need of a rider, I finally got my chance,” Owen said. “Drill riding really translates to polo, as you always have to know where your partner is in space and match them. That is why defense is my favorite position on the polo field.”

Today, she is hooked on horses all over again at the Sarasota Polo Club.

“This is the best crew of people I have ever known,” Owen said. “The supportive relationships I have forged at the Sarasota Polo Club have been life-changing.” sar asota polo 2 0 24

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Leanne Moll Hometown:

Bradenton, FL Last July, while on a family vacation at a dude ranch, Leanne Moll found herself on a ride in the quiet of the desert. It reignited her love of all things equestrian.

“The experience reminded me of the simple joys that can be found while sitting on the back of a horse,” said Moll, who works as the managing director of Emerging ERP Solutions. “Even though I grew up riding hunter-jumpers, I had not been on the back of a horse in more than 20 years.”

Moll’s daughter had played polo at the University of Connecticut and was constantly telling her to consider the sport.

“So I came back from vacation and found myself still thinking about horses. The magic of Google told me that I was in the middle of polo country, and I sent a note to the Sarasota Polo Club, which was just 20 minutes from my home, inquiring about lessons,” Moll said. “It was one of the hardest but most fulfilling things that I have ever done and, after just 30 minutes, I was hooked.”

Now Moll owns her own polo pony, and currently plays in the Sunshine League.

“I love the Sarasota Polo School and the mix of skill building, practical experience, and camaraderie it offers,” Moll said. “I have built lifelong friendships here.”

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Sri Pallavaram Age: 42 Hometown: Bradenton/Sarasota, FL As a child growing up in India, Sri Pallavaram always wanted to ride a horse but never had the opportunity. In 2023, the Sarasota Polo Club fulfilled Pallavaram’s lifelong dream.

“The horses at the Sarasota Polo Club make this such a magical experience for me. They are truly incredible animals,” Pallavaram said. “And Ashlie makes everyone feel so welcome and relaxed, no matter what their skill level is.”

Ashlie Osburg continues to encourage Pallavaram to progress and face challenges in polo.

“Ashlie never gives up on her students,” Pallavaram said. “And everyone participating in the Sarasota Polo School make the experience just that much more wonderful. Everyone wants everyone to do well. Those who are advanced are happy to chip in with their suggestions and advice, and those

who are similarly skilled are constantly looking to improve.”

Pallavaram first came to the United States from India for graduate school, ultimately earning a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara; and a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University.

Pallavaram’s doctoral work was in Deep Brain Stimulation therapy for Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor disorder.

Pallavaram’s hobbies include cricket, pickleball, golf, hiking, and traveling.

“It is fair to say that I have caught the polo bug and, if I had my way, I would spend every day with the polo ponies,” Pallavaram said. “It is the most amazing thing my life has been missing.”

Michael Brown Age: 35 Hometown: Lakewood R anch, FL Last November, when Michael Brown moved to the Sarasota area, he indulged an interest in polo that had been brewing since his college days. He started taking lessons in the winter of 2022 and progressed to playing in the Sunshine League in March 2023.

“I was a very novice rider, but what I enjoyed most about the Sarasota Polo School was the quality of the instruction - both the one-on-one private lessons as well as the group lessons,” Brown said.

“Ashlie worked with me to help improve

sar asota polo 2 0 24

both my riding and polo skills in the private lessons. The group lessons provided a safe but challenging environment for me to learn the rules of polo through a simulated match with other Sarasota Polo School students.”

Brown is the founder of an information technology company in Washington, D.C. and currently works as an executive at a consulting firm.

His younger sister has been doing eventing and dressage for more than 20 years, and she motivates Brown to build up his horsemanship skills and capabilities. Outside of polo, Brown enjoys boxing, fencing, weightlifting, and reading.

“Overall, the Sarasota Polo School has helped me improve my performance and horsemanship abilities, and I’ve enjoyed playing and practicing polo ever since,” Brown said. “I highly recommend taking polo lessons at the Sarasota Polo Club.”

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941-786-1437

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The Return of the

Draft Horses

By Abby Weingarten

Half-time wagon rides will return for the 2024 Season at the Sarasota Polo Club.

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H

orse-drawn wagon rides are returning to the Sarasota Polo Club this season, and crowds are sure to love the two new majestic Belgian Draft horses: Bud and Charlie. The rides were fan favorites at the Sarasota Polo Club grounds for nearly 20 years before halting at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The concept began when Sarasota Polo Club member George Alexander and his wife, Barb, moved to the area from Wellington just prior to the 2001 season.

“We brought our trailer of polo ponies, four Clydesdale horses, and our wagon. I had been driving for pleasure around Wellington and planned to do the same here in Sarasota,” Alexander said. “The Sarasota Polo Club suggested that, if I brought the wagon to polo from time to time, they would provide me a break on a portion of my membership dues.”

So, Alexander brought the Clydesdales and his wagon out for Opening Day in 2001 and enjoyed the experience so much that he continued the tradition of wagon rides up until 2019.

“I do not think we missed more than three Sunday Polo matches in almost 20 years,” Alexander said. “We gave rides to about 100 kids a week. It turned out to be a pretty big deal and an important part of the Sunday Polo experience.”

The original wagon body for the rides was built in the 1970s on an early-1900s running gear in Ontario, Canada. It was later used by the Alberta Game Farm in Edmonton, Alberta, before being sold to an owner in Illinois (from whom Alexander purchased it in 1995).

“It was a nice, big wagon with a proud history. We drove it with either four or six horses hauling about 20 people at a time,” Alexander said. “But, by 2015, I realized that I was not getting any younger, and the harness seemed to be getting heavier, so I sold it to Sarasota Polo Club owners James and Misdee Miller, and it now resides at their Hillcroft Farm in Paris, Kentucky.

In its replacement, I purchased a lighter wagon built by an Amish man in Ohio that could be pulled by two horses.

The new, lighter wagon, which James also bought, holds about 20 children and will be used for the wagon rides this season at the Sarasota Polo Club.

“There is not another polo club in the country that offers this half-time experience. It is entirely unique to Sarasota,” Alexander said. “I was delighted when James expressed an interest in bringing it back, and I very much look forward to the resumption.”

So does Miller.

“The rides were always a huge hit with the children but, of course, adults would hop aboard when not elbowed out of the way by a raging 8-year-old,” Miller said with a laugh. Miller remembers when Alexander would drive his Clydesdales throughout the Sarasota Polo Club during the weekdays as a dedicated hobby. Ever since James and Misdee first started coming to the Sarasota Polo Club for the season, they have also brought carriages and their Dutch Harness Horses.

Lisa Stroud, another Sarasota Polo Club member, is another carriage driver.

“There has been quite a driving presence historically at the Sarasota Polo Club, and it continues to this day. When George decided to retire from the driving sport, he approached me about purchasing his carriages and restoring the tradition,” James said. “I identified an opportunity to hire a horse trainer with heavy horse experience, Alan Freitag, and I hired him and his wife, Susan, to maintain our current Dutch Harness Horses and set up a heavy horse program for Hillcroft Farm.”

The Millers ultimately decided on Belgian Draft horses for the heavy horse program, due to their good looks, calm temperament, and ease of care in warmer climates.

“The Clydesdales are synonymous with the famous Budweiser hitches,” James Miller said. “Because of the Florida climate and sandy soil, we decided to bring Belgians to the Sarasota Polo Club this season and will again offer wagon rides at half-time and at other appropriate times throughout the 2024 Season. We will introduce the new horses to the crowds and, as they develop into their new career, we will gauge their willingness to entertain at Sunday Polo.”

Tucker Reback, who previously worked with Alexander and the Clydesdales on the pre-pandemic wagon rides, will pick back up the pastime this season.

“I look forward to helping, and to seeing this pair of stunning Belgians give wagon rides,” Reback said.

Alan and Susan Freitag have been busy preparing the 7-year-old Bud and Charlie, who are no less than 18.1 hands tall and 2,100 lbs each.

“They have massive feet and wear a size nine shoe, and with their big appetites, each horse eats about 40 lbs of hay each day, which is about 2% of their body weight. Most people have never seen horses this large, and people will undoubtedly enjoy standing next to them,” Susan said.

“I remember how the spectators loved those wagon rides, and I am so happy that we are able to bring them back,” Alan said. “Compared to the polo horses, which are smaller and more agile, draft horses are just gentle giants. They are quiet, loveable horses. We are grateful Bud and Charlie will continue this wonderful tradition at the Sarasota Polo Club.”

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The Youth Are Taking the Field AT THE SARASOTA POLO CLUB

By Abby Weingarten

Tweens and teens at the Sarasota Polo Club are steadily making a name for themselves on the fields – learning their craft, building their enthusiasm for the sport, and cultivating an athletic passion that will likely last a lifetime.

“Although polo is known as the fastest sport on four feet, it can be played at any level and at any speed. Most people come to try it after they watch a polo match and are hesitant to hit a ball while simultaneously riding a horse,” said Ashlie Osburg, instructor for the Sarasota Polo School. “After their first lesson, many are hooked. The feeling of successfully hitting the ball for the first time is a feeling that is hard to replicate.” sar asota polo 2 0 24

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Mason Wroe, the Director of Polo at the Sarasota Polo Club, always welcomes young, new talent.

“With new and increased talent coming in, it makes the professionals have to step up their game,” Wroe said. “It is an interesting dynamic that makes for fun, competitive polo.”

Getting used to the competitive sport is a process, of course, and it is normal for youngsters to feel overwhelmed in the beginning.

“At first, students may not understand that riding and progression is not linear.

There will be ups and downs, and I try my best as an instructor to set realistic and attainable goals,” Osburg said. “The reward for me is seeing my students reach that goal, and seeing how happy and proud of themselves they are.”

Depending on a student’s skill level, Osburg will start them on the ground, introducing them to a horse and Horsemanship 101. Before Osburg even puts a mallet in the hands of her students, she teaches them how to communicate with the horse.

“I like to keep it fun and lighthearted as I ease them into the sport,” Osburg said.

“And horses teach kids so much – from the responsibilities of caring for a horse to the perseverance and patience when tasked with overcoming difficult skills or challenges.”

Polo teaches young players how to get along with others, communicate with

Sarasota Polo School Instructor Ashlie Osburg loves seeing the youth learn and enjoy the sport of polo.

fellow players and horses, and thrive at a team sport - all while focusing on ambitious personal goals.

“Playing polo as a child will teach kids life lessons and self-confidence that will carry into their adult lives,” Osburg said.

This happens often. Just last season, one of her students played in Ranch League, a step up from the developmental Sunshine League, for the first time, and it was a transformative experience for him.

“In Ranch League, you hire a professional to play with you, and the level of play is structured to be friendly and safe yet competitive,” Osburg said. “This particular Ranch League ended up being one of the coldest and windiest days of the season. The horses were feeling frisky, and it was so windy that even the adults struggled to hold their mallets upright in the air. My student went into this game excited but nervous.”

The student then triumphantly played in 30-mile-per-hour winds, finished the game wind-burned, and even scored a few goals.

“Since this first Ranch League, he has probably a dozen Ranch Leagues under his belt, purchased his very own polo pony, earned a few MVPs over the summer, and plans to play in the next level up this season,” Osburg said. “It has been amazing to watch.”

Osburg loves seeing the youth learn and enjoy the sport of polo, and is excited to watch her students continue to progress over the 2024 Season.

Hanna Hornung, Emma Uihlein, and Gregory Shepard are three youth athletes who are ones to watch out for this season.

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Hanna Hornung

love the opportunity to own my own polo ponies; they become part of your life Hanna Hornung, a and family. There is 15-year-old from nothing better than having your horse be Sarasota, has been interested in polo for your most important teammate.” seven years, ever since she participated in What Hornung enjoys most about an Introduction to Polo clinic. polo is the sense of community.

“I started riding at the age of six and “There are always playing polo when I people wanting to help others; I think that is a was nine, alongside significant reason for my two older sisters,” Hornung said. how I got to be where “Playing polo is a I am today - because of the community of unique sport and an incredible experience amazing polo people and players,” Hornung that all people should said. “It has improved have the opportunity my life so much to try. The sport has because it gives me a taught me things that Hanna Hornung rides onto the Championship Field to lot of motivation. It is I will use for the rest participate in a tournament. an opportunity to do of my life, such as something I love every day.” responsibility, teamwork, organization, Hornung believes other young people and dedication. One of my key experiences should consider getting involved in riding was when I started playing in tournaments. and learning to play polo at the Sarasota These were great learning experiences and Polo Club.

I have grown a lot because of them. I also

To get your youth involved in polo, email Lessons@SarasotaPolo.com

Emma Uihlein

“I love watching my dad play, and the thought of people watching me play someday inspired me Emma Uihlein, an 11-year-old sixth to start taking polo grader at The Outlessons.”

“I enjoy almost of-Door Academy in everything about Lakewood Ranch, has been watching polo, but I especially her father, James enjoy the horses and the people that I P. Uihlein, play polo since she was have met,” Uihlein said. “Everyone is so a little girl, and has always aspired to nice and will help Emma Uihlein, daughter of Tito’s team owner James P. participate. you whenever you Uihlein, has started her polo career at the Sarasota Polo Club and is eager to get out on the fields this season. need it.”

“I have been riding for a long time, and Aside from polo, Uihlein plays golf and lacrosse, and is have been attending the Sarasota Polo Club matches for years,” Uihlein said. an artist. sar asota polo 2 0 24

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Gregory Shepard has improved dramatically in his short time here at the Sarasota Polo Club. He now regularly plays in Sunshine League and Ranch League.

Gregory Shepard Gregory Shepard, a 12-year-old sixth grader from Lakewood Ranch, took an interest in riding at the Sarasota Polo Club two years ago.

“One of the reasons why I enjoy polo so much is that I have met a lot of great people and gotten to spend time with them both on and off the field,” Shepard said. “Polo has taught me responsibility, especially learning about taking care of a horse.”

Shepard now owns his own horse, Miguel, who has become not only his best friend but his teammate on the field.

“My passion is polo, my favorite horse is Miguel, and one of my favorite experiences has been playing in the Ranch League,” Shepard said.

When he is not playing polo, Shepard is running cross country and track, and playing soccer at The Classical Academy. He is also a golfer, a tennis player, a snow skier, and a chess player.

We’re proud to support the Sarasota Polo Club

We understand the excitement that only comes from witnessing the strategy and competitiveness of polo.

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Keeping Safe at the Sarasota Polo Club

Words of Wisdom From Our Medical Staff

By Abby Weingarten

Polo can be an undoubtedly dangerous pastime – with swinging mallets, balls traveling at 90 miles per hour, riders leaning out of their saddles, and horses running at top speed. With the sport occasionally comes a risk of injury.

At the Sarasota Polo Club, safety has always been paramount, which is why every polo practice and match are staffed with on-site medics.

One of those individuals is SRQ Event Medic Owner Larry Gibbs, a retired firefighter/ paramedic from the Sarasota County Fire sar asota polo 2 0 24

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Department with 35 years of experience. He was a Special Weapons and Tactics medic with the Sarasota County Sheriff ’s Office as well as a flight medic, and has taught an emergency medical technician program for a technical college. At the end of his career, he was honored in the Library of Congress for his years of service.

“We always coordinate with the Sarasota Polo Club in advance of their polo season to prepare for situations that require further treatment and transport for those who experience serious 76

injuries while on-site,” Gibbs said. “We also provide education to the staff on how to assist us if needed. It is hard to believe that this will be my seventh year at the Sarasota Polo Club. We staff every polo event during the season, which usually involves us being on-site six days a week. Anytime someone falls off their horse or receives an injury during the match, we are instantly on the field to evaluate the situation and provide necessary treatment.

Having a well-trained medical staff at a sporting event like a polo match is critical, as these professionals are able to expedite the assessment of any incident. Paramedics typically handle emergency triage, ensure patient stability, and offer acute medical assessments.

They can perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation; take vital signs; help free up blocked airways with quick respiratory procedures; set up intravenous therapy; stabilize head, neck, and back injuries, as well as broken bones; clean and bandage wounds; and administer medication.

Falls are just a small part of the picture when it comes to injuries among avid polo players. When the players are out on the field, they are often turning sharply and halting instantly - all while attempting to stay balanced in the saddle. Traumatic injuries can happen during highimpact collisions, such as when players are thrown off of their horses or encounter fast-moving mallets or balls.

But the most common medical issues that the medics see amongst polo players are overuse injuries. Because the sport is primarily played from the right side of the horse, this often causes players to overwork and over-develop the right sides of their bodies, making players susceptible to muscle and joint issues. Their hands and wrists often suffer from either osteoarthritis and tendonitis - or a combination of the two.

“We have learned that polo players are tough. They often want to push through an injury in order to keep playing the match that they are in,” Gibbs said, “One of our first questions when we are trying to treat an injured player is, ‘If you actually are hurt, would you even tell us?’”

In addition to treating injured polo players, Gibbs’ staff are also always prepared to assist a spectator in need.

“For the Sunday Polo matches, we bring in an additional staff member so that we have two personnel on-site at all times. This allows us to assist both the polo players and the spectators in the event that we have multiple injuries that need attention at the same time. Typically located in the west end zone and marked by a vehicle with a Red Cross, we are always ready to assist everyone.”

To keep both our players and you as our dedicated spectators safe, the Sarasota Polo Club always has on-site medics during every Sunday Polo match. Typically located in the west end zone and marked by a vehicle with a Red Cross, we are ready to assist everyone. Simply stop by our set-up if you are able, or let one of the Sarasota Polo Club staff members know that you are in need of assistance, and we will come right to you!

Medical care is critical, on and off the polo field. Gibbs enjoys being able to help the polo players as well as the people from all walks of life who come together to enjoy the sport of polo at the Sarasota Polo Club.

It has been his passion throughout his entire decades-long career.

“The most rewarding thing that I find in doing this work is the same reward I felt during my three-and-a-half decades with the fire department - being able to help people in need,” Gibbs said. “And it is very rewarding getting to work with polo players from around the world.”

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Gibbs provides some words of wisdom for the spectators Polo is a very fast and competitive sport. As with any professional sporting event, entertainment and relaxation is always key. Also with any sporting event, paying attention while play is occurring is crucial.

Loose Polo Ball

It is imperative to always remain behind the red safety line and pay attention for any polo balls that might accidentally enter the crowds.

But, if a ball does end up in your hands, do not throw it back, as it is now your souvenir!

Loose Polo Pony

If a horse accidentally gets loose, DO NOT try to assist - for the safety of both you and the horse(s). We have plenty of equine professionals on-site who are expertly trained in handling these matters!

Staying Hydrated

As the temperature continues to rise during the polo season, we encourage both players, horses, and spectators to keep on top of their hydration. Electrolyte packets are helpful but, in the event that you feel that you are getting behind, stop by one of the on-site bars to purchase water. We do not want dehydration to ruin your day at Sunday Polo!

In the event that you need assistance, stop by our vehicle (marked by a red cross) which is located in the west end zone. Or let one of the Sarasota Polo Club staff members know that you are in need of assistance, and we will come right to you! As tens of thousand of fans have in the past, we hope you have a great experience at the Sarasota Polo Club and know that you are safe because we are on-site!

THE MAJESTY OF MANATEE COUNTY’S

Mounted Patrol Unit

By Abby Weingarten

Beloved by wide-eyed children and families, the Mounted Patrol Unit from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has been protecting and serving the community for multiple decades.

“The first sheriff in Manatee County took office in 1860 and he owned a horse, so you could technically say that the Mounted Patrol Unit has been around from the very beginning,” said Randy Warren, the public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.

Throughout the years, the Unit (previously known as the Sheriff’s Mounted Posse) has been utilized to patrol the local shopping centers and beaches, as well as for appearances in public parades, memorials, and holiday festivities for better visibility. Sheriff’s Office employees who own horses and are willing to ride comprise the Unit, carrying out search-and-rescue missions and handling riot control.

And, on occasion, members of the Unit visit the Sarasota Polo Club Sunday Polo matches – a fitting addition to the already-popular equestrian event. They give demonstrations, meet spectators, and educate the crowds about their role in local law enforcement.

“The Unit is extremely useful for crowd control. As you know, the horses stand tall, can be intimidating, and are trained to use their bodies to create space,” Warren said. “We often refer to a mounted unit as a

10-foot, thousand-plus-pound deputy.”

As intimidating as the equines may be, they are deep down very gentle creatures, known to melt the hearts of observers all over town. The horses are conditioned and trained to maneuver in large crowds and through congested roadways without endangering the public, which gives officers more flexibility than they would have in a traditional vehicle.

“These horses are a very valuable part of our agency,” Warren said.

For more information on the Mounted Patrol Unit at the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, visit manateesheriff.com/about/ bureaus/enforcement/mounted_patrol.php

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“The first sheriff in Manatee County took office in 1860 and he owned a horse, so you could technically say that the Mounted Patrol Unit has been around from the very beginning,” Randy Warren

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We are

The Sarasota Players In 2021, Charlie was recovering from cancer when he came to us.

“I was coming out of treatment from chemotherapy. It had been a tough road…

Auditioning for Rabbit Hole was the first time I actually got out of the house and got engaged and… I won’t lie, it changed my life.”

He found a community and energy here that helped jumpstart his life again.

We are Sarasota.

www.theplayers.org

2024 pl ayer spotlight

We Salute Our Players

...................

It is through the players’ dedication and commitment to the sport that the Sarasota Polo Club is able to provide residents of the Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota areas with the most exhilarating sport played today.

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6 GOAL

Alan Martinez Aiken, SC

5 GOAL

6 GOAL

Felipe Viana

Montevideo, Uruguay

4 GOAL

6 GOAL

5 GOAL

Montevideo, Uruguay

Trenque Lauquen, Argentina

Ignacio “Nachi” Viana

Ignacio Alberdi

4 GOAL

4 GOAL

Corrientes, Argentina

Perth, Western Australia

Toto Collardin

Stuart Campbell

Roman “Vasco” Iriarte

4 GOAL

4 GOAL

3 GOAL

3 GOAL

Wellington, FL

Sealy, TX

Tandil-Buenos Aires, Argentina

South Africa

Jack Kiely

Joe Wayne Barry

Marcus Onetto

Mason Wroe

Guillermo Aguero

3 GOAL

3 GOAL

3 GOAL

3 GOAL

Carmen de Patagones, Argentina

Argentina

Aiken, SC

Cat Springs, TX

Leandro Berrios

Nick Cifuni

3 GOAL

3 GOAL

Pergamino, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Vaughn Miller Jr Dallas, TX

Martin Eddy

Houston, TX

Herndon Radcliff Point Clear, AL

Francisco Llosa

2 GOAL

2 GOAL

Coldwater, TN

Wauchula, FL

Charlie Caldwell

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Neil Osburg

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2 GOAL

Buck Schott

Versailles, KY

1.5 GOAL

2 GOAL

Josh Shelton Wichita, KS

1.5 GOAL

2 GOAL

1.5 GOAL

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Tallahasee, FL

James P. Uihlein

Jon Luke Beck

1 GOAL

0.5 GOAL

Dallas, TX

Chicago, IL

James Miller

Meghan Okerlund

Vance Miller

0.5 GOAL

0.5 GOAL

0.5 GOAL

0.5 GOAL

Sarasota, FL

Crowell, TX

Lexington, KY

Bradenton, FL

Larry Aschebrook

Tommy Polk

Samuel Clemens

Raymond Guest

Mark Mulligan

0.5 GOAL

0.5 GOAL

0 GOAL

0 GOAL

Tallahassee, FL

Bradenton, FL

Newport, RI

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Cash Shelton

Scott Wheeler

0 GOAL

0 GOAL

Sarasota, FL

Michael Bucklin Avondale, PA

Columbus, OH

Holly Chamberlain

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Anneke Beck

Margaux Buchanan

0 GOAL

0 GOAL

Tandil-Buenos Aires, Argentina

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Ramon Collardin

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Brent Hamill

TRUST

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0 GOAL

Larry Robinson

Lakewood Ranch, FL

0 GOAL

0 GOAL

Raj Singh

Lakewood Ranch, FL

0 GOAL

0 GOAL

0 GOAL

Winchester, KY

Sarasota, FL

Slade Sharpsteen

Don Stemaly

-0.5 GOAL

-0.5 GOAL

Tallahassee, FL

Tallahassee, FL

Max Stevens

Denny Woodruff

Jillian Beck

-0.5 GOAL

-0.5 GOAL

-0.5 GOAL

-0.5 GOAL

Sarasota, FL

Quebec, Canada

Atlanta, GA

Mike Beck

Tallahassee, FL

-0.5 GOAL

Jaymie Klauber

Lakewood Ranch, FL

-0.5 GOAL

Amanda Shelton Wichita, KS

Myakka City, FL

Carol Farnsworth Houston, TX

-0.5 GOAL

Ashlie Osburg Wauchula, FL

-0.5 GOAL

Trey Zoeller

Louisville, KY

Wadi Gomero-Cure

Kelly Beck

Jocelyne Groulx

-0.5 GOAL

-0.5 GOAL

Nantes, France

Nantes, France

Camille Ricaud

Vincent Ricaud

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Sarasota, FL

Stephanie Abraham

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-1 GOAL

Michael Brown Bel Air, MD

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

Claire Dornak Dallas, TX

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

Middleburg, VA

Chicago, IL

Mary Pat Guest

Arthur Hiscox

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

Westchester, NY

Auckland, New Zealand

Hanna Hornung

Kaitlyn Hornung

Mary Howard

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

Tampa, FL

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Lakewood Ranch, FL

Peter Jenkins

Sylvia McNichol

Barclay Knapp

Rafal Krawczyk

Colleen Maxcy St. Louis

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

New York, NY

Bradenton, FL

New Hope, PA

New York, NY

Leanne Moll

Jim Moss

-1 GOAL

-1 GOAL

Bradenton, FL

Kathy Szabo

Middletown, OH

Elizabeth Owen

Sarasota, FL

Melissa Wightman Tampa, FL

Gregory Shepard

-1 GOAL

NR

Sarasota, FL

Sarasota, FL

Tammy Wyman

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Lucy Landry

Meet the Staff THE FIELD CREW

Nicholas Chavez Nick joined the Sarasota Polo Club Field Staff in 2012, and has been an integral part of the crew since then.

On Sunday’s, you can likely find him in the end zone, flagging the polo match!

Paige Lautzenheiser Director of Operations

Basil Lowell Facilities Manager Originally a New England native, Basil has spent 13 years in Florida as a golf course superintendent and turf expert on both the east and west coasts. He has prepared turf and facilities for many PGA Tours events including the 2017 PGA Championship. He joined the Sarasota Polo Club management team in the Summer of 2023 to help us achieve even greater levels of improvement to our fields and facilities.

Paige joined the Sarasota Polo Club staff in 2018, and was promoted to Director of Operations in 2019. You can find her running around on Sundays, but don’t be afraid to stop her and introduce yourself!

Jason (Poncho) Davis Jason joined the Sarasota Polo Club Field Staff in 2018. Poncho, as most people call him, is often found flagging the game on Sunday’s !

Mason Wroe Director of Polo tucker reback From Charlottesville, VA, Tucker is a former carpenter and 1-Goal player.

He worked for George Alexander and Blackberry Polo Club for many years, and is now excited to be helping the Sarasota Polo Club!

Bryan Zdancewicz Director of Maintenance

Mason joined the club as Director of Polo in 2019, to cultivate and grow the sport both on and off the field. Mason enjoys bringing fun, competitive polo to the Sarasota Polo Club and Lakewood Ranch communities.

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Bryan, an Air Force Veteran, joined the crew in 2018, and was promoted to Director of Maintenance in 2019. He is passionate about his work and eager to solve all kinds of challenges.

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Ron Trytek Director of Sales & Marketing A Chicago native, Ron grew up riding racehorses on a Thoroughbred farm in Barrington Hills, IL. He has spent much of his career working at Ritz-Carlton hotels throughout the world. Ron joined our team in 2018. He is passionate about promoting the Sarasota Polo Club.

Hollis Onetto Events Coordinator Hollis is an enthusiastic new staff member, as the Sarasota Polo Club was a cherished winter home to her polo-playing family for over a decade. During the summer, she proudly works for Oak Brook Polo Club in her home town of Chicago.

INSECT MIST SYSTEMS

Protecting Outdoor Lifestyles and Horse Barns Since 2000 Sarasota: 941-360-1630 Tampa: 813-880-8900 Naples: 239-825-0330 www.mosquitomistfl.com

easy The Living is

Don’t we all want more time to enjoy life?

More time to get things done, to make friends and to nurture relationships. More time to focus on family or for yourself. At Lakewood Ranch, we’re all about enjoying life. That’s why our community is filled with shopping, dining, nature, entertainment and recreation. So that everything you may need from day-to-day is nearby and conveniently located.

Come see why Lakewood Ranch is America’s favorite place to call home!

HOMES FROM THE $300S TO OVER $1M*

* Prices subject to change without notice. © 2023 Lakewood Ranch

Sidelines

.......................................

Thousands of spectators congregate on the sidelines each Sunday at the Sarasota Polo Club to cheer on our players and tailgate with friends and family.

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Make it a Day! Jump start your day with a cold brew coffee and sand volleyball before squeezing in a spa treatment and an afternoon of shopping. And as the sun begins to set, gather family and friends for dinner and drinks under the stars.

Whether you’re in the shops, on the Plaza, or at the park, you’ll find new ways to spend the day at Waterside Place every time you come. Our year-round events, Sunday farmers’ market and weekly live music are open to everyone.

And now, with our Beverages in the Street program you can take your adult beverage to-go as you explore all Waterside Place has to offer.

Waters id ePlace .com Sarasota’s Only Lakefront Town Center | 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240

Action

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There’s a reason polo is called the “fastest game on four feet.” Since 1991, the Sarasota Polo Club has been providing exhilarating polo matches every Sunday through the winter. With exciting tailgate themes, halftime entertainment, wagon rides, tailgating, and divot stomping, the Sarasota Polo Club is the perfect place for a family outing.

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Roskamp Institute Imagine A World Without Brain Disease

We all know someone living with: • Alzheimer’s Disease • Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) • Gulf War Illness • PTSD • Red Tides Neurological Effects

GIVE TODAY

We can’t do what we do…without YOU! With YOUR help we can achieve our vision A World Without Brain Disease Give the gift of HOPE and donate today: www.RoskampInstitute.org Our laboratory research, clinical studies and clinical trials directly benefit Suncoast residents. We are devoted to finding causes and developing better treatments.

2040 Whitfield Ave Sarasota, FL 34243 (941)752-2949

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(941) 444-8845 www.prarch.com

CIVIC | COMMERCIAL | EDUCATION | HEALTHCARE | MULTI-FAMILY | RELIGIOUS | SENIOR LIVING

Every Piece Comes With A Story Amish and American Made Furniture, Décor & Accessories Showroom and Design Center 3709 N. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota

941.894.6747

dutchcrafters.com

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2023 WINNERS CIRCLE uspa Continental cup

16 GOAL

La Fe for Tincho Merlos accepted Robi Bilbao , Rufino Merlos, Francisco Elizalde, Louis devaliex

uspa national inter-circuit Championship

Francisco Elizalde

12 GOAL

Tito’s James P. Uihlein, Nachi Viana, Vaughn Miller Jr., Joe Wayne Barry sar asota polo 2 0 24

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2023 WINNERS CIRCLE uspa OUTDOOR commander-in-chief cup

12 GOAL

Tito’s james p. uihlein, vaughn miller jr., francisco mera, joe wayne barry

Francisco Mera

USPA Gerry Aschinger Memorial

8

GOAL

BarefiEld Vasco Iriarte, Bautista Peluso, Joaquin Arguello, Mark Mulligan sar asota polo 2 0 24

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MAIN HEADQUARTERS 1751 Cattelmen Rd Sarasota, FL 34232 MAIN HEADQUARTERS 1751 Cattelmen Rd Sarasota, FL 34232

MAIN HEADQUARTERS: 1751 Cattlemen Rd, Sarasota, FL 34232 MAIN HEADQUARTERS: Cattlemen Sarasota, FL MAIN HEADQUARTERS: 17511751 Cattlemen Rd.,Rd,Sarasota, FL34232 34232 DOWNTOWN SARASOTA: 801 Apricot Ave, Sarasota, FL 34237 DOWNTOWN SARASOTA: 801 Apricot Ave, Sarasota, FL 34 237 DOWNTOWN SARASOTA: 801 Apricot Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237

2023 WINNERS CIRCLE wayne brown memorial

8

GOAL

Tito’s vance miller, james P. Uihlein, Vaughn miller jr., joe wayne barry

vaughn miller Jr.

SARASOTA challenge

6

GOAL

TEN OAKS KELLY BECK, VANCE MILLER, NEIL OSBURG, STUART CAMPBELL sar asota polo 2 0 24

STUART CAMPBELL |

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Proud Sponsor of the Sarasota Polo Club

We pride ourselves on personal service.

We can transform your vision into a creative, professional product. Serving Manatee County for over 30 years, we use our state of the art facilities and equipment to produce your full range of printed products.

941.739.6602

pcfiles@minuteman.com

minuteman.com

5103 Lena Rd. Unit 107, Bradenton, FL 34211

2023 WINNERS CIRCLE Ringling Cup

6

GOAL

LANDHOPE/RANCH HAND Alan martinez, Martin Eddy, Michael Bucklin, Claire Dornak

Alan Martinez

SIESTA KEY CHALLENGE

4

GOAL

FIRST ONSITE/ North South Wealth Management STuart Campbell, Joaquin Arguello, Hanna Hornung, Jocelyne Groulx sar asota polo 2 0 24

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joaquin arguello

Lakewood Ranch

M MS GROUP

Supporting local moms and their families for over 16 years! Join us at myLWR.com

Celebrating “the sport of kings and queens” We’re proud to support the Sarasota Polo Club.

Safe, Reliable Horses Qualified Instructors All Ages Welcome Flexible Schedule At the Beautiful Sarasota Polo Club Grounds!

For more information, call or text or email Lessons@SarasotaPolo.com 941.907.0000 www.SarasotaPolo.com

2023 WINNERS CIRCLE Sarasota women’s Challenge

A

FLIGHT

Mint ECo Carwash Valentina Tarazona, Giuliana Tarazona, Kylie Sheehan, Cecelia Cochran

Jenna Davis

B Flight

C Flight

D Flight

Hanna Hornung, Jenna Davis, Jophie Giannico, Hanna Reynolds MVP: Jenna Davis

Nicole Hai, Katie Glynn, Lauren Proctor-Brown, Jenna Davis MVP: Margaux Buchanan

Ashlie Osburg, Elizabeth Owen, Emily Atkinson, Leanne Moll MVP: Mary Flaherty

North South Wealth Management

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Sarasota Polo School

Enjoy the

Best of Both Worlds, and get a taste of the classic sport of kings.

Private Polo Lesson & Champagne Aperitif Experience the thrill of polo and the elegance of champagne with Sarasota Polo Club’s exclusive Polo Lesson & Champagne Aperitif experience. We have teamed up with A Vine Affair to offer a unique experience for your private group of 3 - 4 people. Enjoy a one-hour polo lesson with Sarasota Polo School’s Director Ashlie Osburg and, afterwards, top it off with a champagne aperitif courtesy of A Vine Affair.

Reserve Now

By Emailing Lessons@SarasotaPolo.com

2023 BEST PLAYING PONIES 16 GOAL

12 GOAL

uspa Continental cup

uspa national inter-circuit Championship

Tita fe | Francisco Elizalde

Dolfina galardonada | Nachi Viana

12

8

GOAL

GOAL

uspa OUTDOOR commander-in-chief cup

USPA Gerry Aschinger Memorial

Heidi | Jack Kiely

Sister | Joaquin Arguello

8

6

GOAL

GOAL

wayne brown memorial

Ringling Cup

BOSE | Bautista Peluso

Dominic Toretto | ALAN MARTINEZ

6

GOAL

4

GOAL

SARASOTA Challenge

Siesta Key Challenge

MOONSHINE | STUART CAMPBELL

Thapazimbi | NEIL OSBURG

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A

FLIGHT

Sarasota women’s Challenge

MARIPOSA | IZZY PARSONS

Host your next private party at the Sarasota Polo Club From pig roasts to champagne toasts, the Sarasota Polo Club is available to host a variety of events.

– Corporate Outings – Weddings – – Fundraising Events – Private Parties – – Catering – Cash or Hosted Bar, Venues available for 25 to 2,000 guests

For more information, email Info@SarasotaPolo.com

www.SarasotaPolo.com

Grounds Map

N N

4 Field

4/5 Fielodrth

5 Field

North Entrance

Gift Shop

Barn A

Field 7

South

2 Field

Exercise Track

rns Club Ba

Barn B

Pavilion

ship Champion Field 1

Arena

Entra

nce

Barn C

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6 Field

3 Field

Our experienced team of tax professionals employs in-depth knowledge of the latest tax laws and trends to help you reach your personal and business objectives.

We help you navigate through a multiplex of tax issues by providing leadership and support, while creating more tax-efficient structures to help you reach your individual and professional financial goals.

SARASOTA | BRADENTON • 800.277.0080 • MJCPA.COM

Championship Field Map No r Te thwe nt st 1

N

Scoreboard

North 1-44

South 1-27 Jefferson’s Terrace

London Bus Terrace

Trophy Stand

Pavilion

Gift Shop

Hemingway Champagne Garden

VIP Area

Polo Club Lane

Restrooms

North Tent

SE Ble ac he r

Food

er ch a e Bl NE

Hemingway Champagne Garden Reserved Tailgates London Bus Terrace

Beverages

Valet

Drinks only available at select matches

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Fieldside Drive

North 45-77+

South 28-67

Pavilion & E ast Right at the Tailgate Fork s

Left at

s lgate West Tathi e Fork

South Tent

Reserved Tailgates Pavilion A Vine Affair Tent

North Entrance

INVESTUS Realty – INVEST WITH TRUST –

Sarasota CONSULTATION • DESIGN • PRINTING / SIGNS • INSTALLATION

Signage and large format graphics are what we’re all about.

SpeedPro of Sarasota has the expertise and graphic solutions to make your business stand out. Whether it’s branding your business locally or supporting our National brands, our team provides creative and turn-key solutions. We are a proud sponsor of Sarasota Polo.

If only I was a horse...

941.960.1574 1054 N. East Ave., Sarasota, FL 34237 srowe@speedpro.com SpeedProAffinitySolutionsFl.com

SALES • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • INVESTMENT We help homeowners realize their dreams.

Staging, remodeling, buying and selling.

We cater to investors who wish to develop their rental portfolio in a safe and profitable manner.

Vincent RICAUD Broker/Owner MBA/GRI 941-538-2010 info@investus.us

We manage rentals from A to Z, purchase, renovation, marketing and tenant selection, accounting and reporting.

investus.us

Fluent in English, French, German and Spanish

PINEAPPLE KITCHEN SPEAKEASY MYSTERY DINNER SHOWS at

UTC MALL SARASOTA

Reserve your seats: Scan our QR Code with your Phone

Inquire at: (941) 254-1763 or Reserve Here:

www.pineapplekitchenmysteries.com

ABOUT OUR SPORT

60

POLO PONIES

ARE RIDDEN PER GAME.

Players use one or more horses each chukker.

5

WEEKS

65+

Thursday Sunset Polo

Happy Hour

PL AYING MEMBERS

MAR. 14 - APRIL 11

Located in the award-winning community of Lakewood Ranch, FL just 30 minutes to Siesta Key Beach and 20 minutes to SRQ Airport

ABOUT OUR FACILITIES

MILE All-Weather

Training Track

MIDFIELD

PAVILION

250 WITH FULL BAR hosting events up to

6

CHUKKERS

MINUTES

OR PERIODS IN A MATCH

PLAYERS

300

YDS

X

160

YDS

THE SIZE OF A REGULATION POLO FIELD. Equivalent to ten football fields

45 15 PER TEAM

IN A CHUKKER

ABOUT OUR CLUB

PRIVATE EQUESTRIAN ESTATES

Weeks of Sunday Polo DECEMBER 31 - APR IL 7

W ELCOMING

50,000 S PE C TAT O R S E AC H S E A S O N

ON-SITE STABLING for up to

300 Horses

VIP

MIDFIELD PREMIUM SEATING

THE HEMINGWAY A fully restored double decker bus with a twist. “The Hemingway” offers a full bar and a one-of-a-kind viewing experience.

170 SPANNING

Perfectly Manicured Acres

Bravour 54 Congratulations to Misdee Wrigley Miller’s Bravour 54 on being selected as the Breyer Celebration Horse for this year’s BreyerFest 2023: Driving Forward. Bravour 54 was part of Misdee’s gold medal winning team at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon, North Carolina.

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Let’s talk horsepower.

Owning a private jet makes getting to your next business meeting or event even faster and more enjoyable. Bloom Business Jets is your all-inclusive connection to efficient, time-saving and convenient private business aviation. Our team of experts are skilled at finding the personal flying option that fits your specific needs—be it purchasing your first jet or upgrading your existing aircraft.

With more than 35 years of experience, Bloom Business Jets is your key to making the leap into private air travel.

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For direct inquiries, contact Steve Bloom at (303) 946-9105 • bloombusinessjets.com