Sarasota polo season swings into action

EAST COUNTY — Squinting from the rays of sunshine Dec. 5, two men sighed while looking at the 12-acre practice field at the Sarasota Polo Club — their work paid off.

Along with the horses and their riders, Club Field Manager Brandon Parker and his assistant, Nick Chavez, had their share of preparations for the upcoming polo season, which runs from Dec. 15 to April 6. Gates for the weekly event, costing $12 for adults and free for children 12 and younger, open at 10 a.m. each Sunday, with matches beginning at 1 p.m., at the BMO Private Bank field at the polo club.

As Club Operations Manager Rebecca Gutierrez squeezed the foghorn, notifying riders of how long they had practiced — seven minutes — the participants, including Jaymie Klauber, of the Polo Grill, and her horse Wilson, trotted off the field for a break.

Parker and Chavez used the opportunity to scan the Bermuda grass, looking for imperfections in the field they spent the last four to five months maintaining.

The men and their team mowed, watered and in other ways prepped the club’s 130 acres — nine fields, two stick-and-ball fields and a regulation-sized arena.

With safety in mind, they will continue weekly maintenance. Duties include filling holes with sand to prevent horses from tripping, field painting, setting up goalposts each week and steamrolling the grass to keep it firm.

But at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoons, they get a break to watch the sport in action.

“There’s nothing more fun to do or watch, than riding a horse and hitting a ball,” said polo player Tucker Reback. “There’s nothing like it.”

IF YOU GO
When: Sundays from Dec. 15 to April 6; gates open at 10 a.m.; matches start at 1 p.m.
Where: Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club Lane
Cost: $12 per adult or free for children 12 and under
Info: sarasotapolo.com

SCHEDULE
Dec. 15 — Season opener: Lakewood Ranch Women’s Club — Bring an unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots program.

Dec. 22 — Holiday Cup — Santa arrives at halftime, in his polo attire, in a Clydesdale wagon. Pictures with Santa will be offered in the clubhouse.

Dec. 29 — New Year Cup — Participate in the New Year tailgate contest.

Jan. 5 — Kitchner and Pierro/IBusinessSolutions Cup

Jan. 12 — Bay News 9 Cup — Go Team USA tailgate contest.

Jan. 19 — Band Weintraub Cup

Jan. 26 — Rolls Royce Cup and Merrill Lynch

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].