2022 - the Villages Polo Booster Club

POLO 101 @ The Stadium 3-4:30
SEPTEMBER 28 & OCTOBER 5

SEPTEMBER 29
Bus trip to WEC and GOLDMARK

OCTOBER 15
Booster Season Opening Party at The Stadium

OCTOBER 27
Bus trip to WEC and GOLDMARK

NOVEMBER 11/15
Closing Party at The Barns

DECEMBER 12/1
ELF PARTY
NICK JOHNSON TOYS FOR CANCER

FALL CLOSING PARTY @ THE BARNS

Photo's by Booster Member Angel Milanes

It was a beautiful setting among the trees at The Barns as the boosters gathered for the Fall polo season closing party. Many arrived with toys for the Nick Johnson Toys for Cancer drive. The toys that have been collected at the Fall season matches and at tonight's event will be delivered to The Arnold Palmer Children's Cancer Hospital in Orlando in early December. Thanks to everyone who brought a toy, made a monetary donation or purchased a t-shirt to support these efforts.

Three different presentations, one held in each of the barns, were conducted for the attendees. Marcelo Torres detailed a typical day in the life of a polo pony being cared for in The Villages. While these equine athletes have Mondays off, those providing their care work 24/7 to ensure their comfort, safety and health. Kim Smith of Ocala Magna Wave and Wellness provided a demonstration of magna wave pulsed electro magnetic field therapy which is used to recharge cells so as to stimulate cell metabolism, increase oxygenation and reduce inflammation. The demonstration horses noticeably relaxed and appeared to really enjoy the treatment. Lord Lyall provided attendees with insight into the various equipment used by horse and rider during a polo match. Safety for both horse and rider and communication between the two is of utmost importance when playing in a match.

A delicious meal catered by Sonny's BBQ was enjoyed under the lights of the beautiful oaks while listening to the sounds of Bobby Blackman and Joe Hand.

Following dinner, a player's panel comprised of women who play in The Villages discussed the positive changes they have seen in the sport over the years towards female players. It was surprising to learn that women were not admitted to the USPA until 1972, and have continued to make amazing strides since that time.

A spectacular sunset closed the evening as Boosters celebrated the opportunity of having been able to enjoy another memorable polo season here in The Villages.

FALL OPENING PARTY @ THE STADIUM

The Boosters had a beautiful sunny day to attend the opening party for the Fall polo season. After enjoying a catered boxed lunch, the Boosters watched two teams of students from the Polo School play a two-chukker match. The students didn't bring their trusty four-footed ponies with them for this particular game. Instead they played with their two-legged steeds on Segway scooters. As they darted up and down the shortened playing field, several players were involuntarily dismounted. They quickly regained their seats to continue in the match at full steam ahead. It was later explained that the students train on the scooters while they are learning to maintain their balance while moving and swinging a polo mallet before advancing to actually playing on horseback.

The event continued with a player panel discussion highlighting the differences in playing polo throughout the world. There was a multitude of countries represented, including Columbia, Argentina, England, Mexico, Thailand and India. The panel discussed the differences in the types of animals used for playing, which includes horses and yaks, and the differences in the playing conditions such as weather and fields and the availability of locations for playing. In Columbia, for example, there are only four places to play in the entire country.

The Polo School students returned with their real horses to play an additional two chukkers, and were cheered on for their efforts by the enthusiastic crowd.

WEC - GOLDMARK FARM

AMAZING

A sunny morning greeted the enthusiastic group of polo boosters as they left for the Goldmark Farm tour. The trip guide, Karen Grimes, owner of Farm Tours of Ocala, joined the group enroute at the World Equestrian Center where she gave a brief tour explaining the history of the WEC. She noted that during recent Hurricane Ian, the WEC was opened for animal refuge and housed 2,400 horses and one kangeroo.

As the tour continued through the winding roads of horse country, Karen pointed out the numerous horse and cattle farms and shared some of the history that makes up these breathtaking properties which are owned by some of the most recognized business leaders in the country. Ocala is a unique area in that the limestone below the ground's surface exudes nutrients into the grass that is eaten by the horses which helps build good bone structure. She also noted that the Ocala area includes 900 farms and represents 600 breeds of horses.

Upon entering the Goldmark Farm property, one of the painted horses of the Horse Fever Project was standing tall to welcome the busload of polo club boosters. The group was greeted in the Theater Room by owner Paul Bulmahn and his farm manager Alaina Wickham. Paul shared that Goldmark Farm is unique among horse farms due to the multiple disciplines practiced at this one location -- a track for thoroughbred racing and arenas for both dressage and hunters/jumpers. He also shared that the horses at Goldmark experience a true life of luxury which includes having mattresses in their stalls which greatly aid in the horses being able to feel safe and secure enough to lie down to sleep rather than standing up to do so.

Alaina conducted the property tour of the farm for the group where they were able to watch a horse being trained for dressage. Waiting for the group in one of the many pastures was MyLute -- a Kentucky Derby runner. MyLute finished a photo third in the 2013 Derby, but lost upon the photo review. When MyLute raced in the Derby, he was a coal black horse, but as he has aged, he has turned into a white horse -- still as handsome as ever and still loves to have his picture taken.

The group reconvened at the Museum where a delicious lunch was enjoyed overlooking the scenic grounds, after which Owner Paul gave a tour of the Museum containing a wealth of artifacts related to Triple Crown winners, dating back to the very first one, Sir Barton in 1919. Sir Barton eventually finished his days with the US Calvary. This certainly highlighted the difference between the treatment of winners of yesteryear and those of today. Paul had a wealth of stories about each horse represented in the museum and while most were Triple Crown winners, other well-known horses were represented as well, including Man O War.

As the group readied for its departure from this beautiful farm, each lady was presented with a red "Derby" rose to commemorate the day. It was truly a spectacularly memorable trip.

Here is what we have in the works for spring - all for MEMBERS ONLY

THE DATES FOR THE FOLLOWING EVENTS MAY BE CHANGED BY THE CURRENT COVID SITUATION

FEBRUARY 10th
PHOTO SHOOT 1 - 4 pm @ THE POLO STADIUM
(Spring Themes)
FEBRUARY 13th
TAILGATING with OCALA POLO @ THE FLORIDA HORSE PARK
MARCH 10th
WORLD EQUESTRIAN CENTER - OCALA FARM TOUR
MARCH 12th
SEASON OPENING PARTY AT OXFORD POLO
APRIL 14th
WORLD EQUESTRIAN CENTER - OCALA FARM TOUR
APRIL - CANCELLED
WELLINGTON POLO HIGH GOAL POLO MATCH
TATO'S MALLET FACTORY
MUSEUM OF POLO & HALL OF FAME
APRIL - CANCELLED
SARASOTA POLO
APRIL 20th
EDUCATIONAL CLASS @ THE STADIUM
MAY 7th, 2022
SEASON CLOSING DERBY PARTY @ ROHAN RECREATION CENTER
PLEASE SEE MEMBERS ONLY 2022 PAGE FOR DETAILS

AFTER 2.5 YEARS OF STAYING SAFE OUTSIDE, WE FINALLY GOT TOGETHER INSIDE TO ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL FUN NIGHT WHICH GENERATED NEARLY $7500 FOR OUR CHARITIES

Approximately 150 members and players arrived at The Rohan Regional Recreation Center, ready for live music provided by Joe Hand & Lord Lyall, a yummy dinner, The Kentucky Derby Race and to participate in our live and silent auctions and best hat contest. The proceeds will benefit our charities, The Villages Injured Players Fund and The Nick Johnson Toys for Cancer Fund. They also got to bet on and watch a Pony/People race between players Paige, Frankie, Nate, Charly, Thom and Jenny with Lord being Lord. Prizes included restaurant gift certificates and bottles of Derby Wine. Players were seated at tables around the room, so that we all got to enjoy their company during dinner.

Thanks to our very generous members and players, we were able to raise $7,500.00, a special thank you to Paige, Lordy, Thom & Jenny Fross and all who donated for their participation and support.

Photos by: Dwayne Merrick

POLO 103 - FUN EDUCATIONAL CLASS @ THE STADIUM

The always entertaining Lordy Lyall kicked off Polo 103 by explaining the schedule for today's events. Attendees will see demonstrations on the shoeing and dental care of The Villages polo ponies, followed by a penalty shot contest with several of The Villages polo players and ending with a panel discussion on the in's and out's of keeping The Villages’ polo fields in such top-notch condition.

Lordy introduced Marcelo Torres who handles the blacksmithing and shoeing responsibilities for the polo ponies. Nine-year old “Quigley” was introduced as the volunteer pony for today’s demonstrations. Marcelo noted some interesting facts about a polo pony's shoes: (1) shoes are for the safety of the horse and are replaced every four to five weeks; (2) the front and back shoes are different from each other with each set having a particular purpose; (3) a horse knows that a shoe is missing because it can be painful; and (4) it takes him about 45 minutes to shoe all four feet. An interesting question was raised as to whether traveling across poured concrete can be slippery for a shoed horse -- definitely!

Dale Gavitt followed with a demonstration of horse dentistry and explained the importance of good dental hygiene for horses and especially the polo ponies. He explained that polo ponies “listen” to the left hand of the rider through the bit in their mouth to know which direction to go. The bit rests in the horse’s mouth on their tongue and the tongue rests on their teeth so any dental issues can be very painful to the horse. Horses are born without teeth, grow their baby teeth, lose them and then have all of their 44 permanent teeth in place by age five. Horses' teeth continue to grow throughout their lifetime so it is necessary to have their teeth filed down at least once a year. The upper jaw is 40% wider than the lower jaw so horses actually chew in a figure eight pattern and graze about 85% of their day -- no wonder they need dental care.

Following a short break, the penalty shoot-off commenced between players Lordy Lyall, Frankie Bilbao, Paige Boone and Charly Quincoces. A guest goal flagger from the audience, Mark Jessop, was assisted in dressing for the part in a bright red inflatable suit and yellow hardhat — safety first — before making his way to the goal line. Prior to the shoot-off, event attendees had an opportunity to further the club's philanthropic efforts by buying raffle tickets to select the player they thought would win the shoot-off. Goal shots were taken by each player at the 30-, 40- and 60-yard lines. The winner was Lordy Lyall and prizes were awarded to three lucky attendees holding the winning player's tickets. Prizes included a Wawa gift card, a Bluefin Bar and Grill gift card and a Chop House gift card. The Chop House gift card was generously donated back and then auctioned. Today’s program raised a total of $1,722 after Lordy's generous match and will be used to benefit the Polo Booster’s contribution efforts for the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando.

The day’s events continued with a panel discussion regarding the maintenance of polo fields. Bruce Chestnut is in charge of maintaining the fields and has been with The Villages for nine years applying his knowledge of turf maintenance gained in the 23 years he spent in the golf industry. Bruce noted the grass used on the polo fields is 419 Bermuda grass, sometimes referred to as 419 Tifton, grown in Tifton, GA. This type of grass has to be spaded in when planted and will grow approximately an inch per night. Traits of this grass include that the roots “walk” across the field rather than going down into the sandy soil. Bruce noted that the mowers used on the fields cut with a scissor action rather than a rotary action and the height of the grass is kept at one inch. Each field encompasses 15 acres which takes three to four hours to mow and two fields are mowed every day.

The irrigation for the fields is located underground and each field has an average of 320 sprinkler heads with 30-40 damaged heads being replaced each year. A massive overhaul on the irrigation system was done in 2012 on Fields 1 and 2. Watering of the fields with reclaimed water starts at 9:00P and finishes at 6:00A and is done at night to help avoid evaporation and wind shift. The field scheduled for play is watered one day before the game. The Polo Club is allocated a fixed amount of water per year, and the annual allocation is divided into 2 three-month periods (Spring and Fall) so watering is only done when the fields are being played on. The Villages Polo Club is a directed dump site for excess water during periods of heavy rain. The excess water is channeled from the golf courses located at Route 466 and Buena Vista and can be pumped as far north as The Savannah Center if needed.

Bruce went on to explain that the fields are revitalized twice a year and that 26 dump trucks are used to bring in the sand that is spread across the fields. This process is usually done two weeks prior to the season start. He added that the fields are aerated every other year. He went on to explain that army worms and mole crickets are just several of the pests they try to prevent by being proactive, and occasionally may have to trap a mole or two for relocation.

Paige Boone added that what makes our polo fields better than most is due to a number of factors: (1) the quality of the turf; (2) the quality of the drainage of the soil; (3) the controlled amount of use the fields receive; and (4) the cooler climate in that there is no play in January or February when the ground is dormant.

The day was concluded with watching polo’s U.S. Open Championship played in Wellington between the Pilot and Park Place teams. Curt Pilot, who owns the Pilot team, has played here in The Villages. Congratulations to the Pilot team for their win.

Photos by Dwayne Merrick

The gates of Lakes and Live Oaks opened gently as we entered on our way to Oxford Polo. We were greeted by beautiful estates, oaks draped with Spanish moss along the curving road and paddocks of horses grazing. Thank you Gina for placing the signs so that we all could find our way. We were greeted at check-in by Rhonda, Tim, Biff and Bill, where we picked up our Booster Club bags and then on to Mike directing parking under the beautiful live oaks. Our tailgating contestants arrived and began to set up their tailgating displays. Stew was selling 50/50, with the club's portion split between The Injured Players Fund and The Nick Johnson Toys for Cancer Fund. Kathy and Bill set up for shirt sales and had a great day with all profits going to The Nick Johnson Toys for Cancer fund. The sounds of Joe Hand and Lord Lyall entertained us while we all settled in for a day of Polo adventures.

Our first match of the day was from students from the polo school. I love this group of player's, they are amazing. They give it their all with huge smiles on their faces, growing more confident with each game. It's always fun to watch this group as they progress from timid to confident players. Next came our Polo Club players. Oxford Polo's team was made up of Liv Berube, Nate Berube, Nick Johnson and Charlie Quincoces vs Villages Polo with Miguel Lis-Planells, Justin Pimsner, Paige Boone and Frankie Bilbau. Their friendship and competition with each other is obvious, as they make calls throughout the match, joking and instigating each other.

We went on to the results from our Judges panel, Beth, Pamela, Kim, Howard and Nancy. The winners were, 1st place - Irish Sweepstakes, 2nd place - Derby Day, 3rd place - Derby Dolls, 4th place - Aloha, 5th - Old Time Classic Polo and 6th place - Horseshoes . Thank you to all our participants for your amazing displays. We wish to extend a special thanks to "Irish sweepstakes" who sold chances to win prizes in a "sweepstakes" drawing. They supplied all the prizes and then gave all the money to The Booster Club! A big thank you to Michael, Marie, Ginny, Rita and Jerry. Our 50/50 winner took away $110.

As we finished up with prizes and announcements, Lord Lyall led our players in a shoot out with 1 player being blindfolded, while another player verbally told them how to position the mallet to put it thru the cones. They are team mates, so the results were excellent. Lord then got our members involved in a shoot out to see who could put it thru the cones from different distances. The lucky winner got a $50 gas card.

Photos by Keith Franklin

PHOTOS by Dwayne Merrick
ARTICLE by Regina Jessop

The sun broke through the clouds at Lake Sumter Landing after a rainy night and morning just as 38 members of the Polo Boosters Club boarded the bus for the first Club excursion of the year. The rain held off until we were ready to board for the trip home. There was no lack of excitement as we headed to our first stop at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala.  Once there, we met up with our tour guide, Karen Grimes, who provided the group with the history about how the World Equestrian Center came to fruition from the efforts of the Roberts family and also detailed the exciting expansion plans for the future, some which are already underway.  As we entered the equestrian grounds, Karen introduced us to “Staff Sergeant Reckless”, a former equine Marine whose statue is one of the first things you see as you enter the expansive complex.  This amazing Mongolian mare who had been bred as a racehorse served in the Korean War at the Battle of Outpost Vegas in March 1953.  She made 51 round trips, about 35 miles, in a single day delivering 386 rounds of ammunition weighing more than 9,000 pounds from the supply point to the firing sites.  She was wounded twice and received two Purple Hearts among her many other medals.  She passed away in 1968 and was buried at Camp Pendleton with full military honors.  She remains a inspiration to the many who visit and compete at the World Equestrian Center as she stands watch over the center arena, reminding the competitors to never give up.
The group then traveled to the Ocala Breeders Association, where Karen provided us with details about the horses that were being reviewed for the upcoming weekend auction.  We spent some time watching the 2-year old thoroughbreds run down the backstretch as their movement and speed were being scrutinized by the potential buyers positioned in the stands.  Our group was able to stand at the finish line rails and and see these athletes at their very best as they raced past at full speed.  Karen noted that the sale on the weekend was open to any buyer and several group members inquired about the sale prices of these powerful animals.  Perhaps there will be a future triple crown owner in our group.
We re-boarded the bus, en-route to Pleasant Acres Stallions, a thoroughbred breeder, just outside of Ocala.  Karen provided us with the details about their breeding operation and introduced us to Oreo, a beautiful black and white stallion whose sole purpose was to “wine and dine” the waiting mares while they anticipated the arrival of their “stud muffin”.  The group also visited the barns where the stallions were housed and then moved on to the see the mares who had recently foaled.  The foals appeared to be only a few days old and were standing on wobbly legs as they tried to balance to seek out their mothers for nursing.  There were several horses in the nearby corrals and stalls including Precious Passion, the 2009 Florida Horse of the Year.  He and his fellow pals handle the meet and greet of visitors to the farm and all eagerly took the carrots and horse treats that were offered in exchange for enthusiastic neck and ear rubs.
Our trip continued down Route 225A as we traveled along “Millionaires Row” with Karen providing details about the many luxurious properties, including the expansive Live Oaks Farm owned by Charlotte Weber, the granddaughter of the founder of the Campbell Soup Company, and Kinsman Farm owned by George Steinbrenner.  She also clued the group into why most of the farms use brown fencing — and it’s probably not what you think.  Karen had a wealth of knowledge which she was more than happy to share as we traveled past the many impressive cattle and horse farms.
We returned to the World Equestrian Center and had some time to explore the grounds and grab a bite for lunch.  The World Equestrian Center offers a good variety of both food and shopping experiences.  The Winter Spectacular was ongoing, and we were able to watch the Hunter/Jumper competitions as well as see many horses on the grounds in various stages of prep for their turn at competition.
Our return trip was relatively quiet as several took the opportunity to catch a quick nap while others talked about the day’s excursions.   Our first excursion of the year was indeed a success.

TAILGATING WITH OCALA POLO CLUB

Rain did not stop our group of approximately 100 Booster members from enjoying a polo match by The Ocala Polo Club at The Florida Horse Park. The sky turned black at one point, and the rain came down for a few minutes and then vanished as quickly as it came in. We were protected by our hospitality tents. There were 4 teams, of amazing women in a round robin. Many of those players have played at our stadium in The Villages. We had a wonderful time while enjoying Mimosas and antipasti.

PHOTO by Dwayne Merrick

Photo by Dwayne Merrick

​WEC - GOLDMARK FARM

WEC - GOLDMARK FARM