Sarasota Polo

Polo is commonly known as the "Game of Kings."  Fans can be as diehard as for any other sport, but people new to polo are sure to enjoy the excitement of the game and the surrounding festivities associated with polo play in the greater Sarasota area.

Dating back nearly 2,500 years to ancient Persia, polo today is wildly popular in Florida, where year-round play is possible thanks to a supportive fan base and comfortably warm weather.  The Sarasota Polo Club, located in Lakewood Ranch, just northeast of Sarasota.  Polo at the Club attracts people from around the United States and from international destinations, from amateur and professional players to fans and curious observers.

The Sarasota Polo Club was established in 1991.  It is situated on 130 beautiful acres, with nine polo fields that are considered to be among the best in the world.  Other facilities at the Club include a full-size outdoor arena, a covered open-air pavilion, three 24-stall barns for the horses, two stick-and-ball fields, a clubhouse, a 3/4-mile exercise track, an on-site veterinary clinic, and a gift shop.  The surrounding land consists of 35 private ranches.  During the season, over 600 horses are stabled in the Club facilities and on surrounding land.

Regular polo matches are every Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at the Sarasota Polo Club, with gates opening at 11:30 a.m.  Tickets, which cost $10.00 for general adult admission and are free for children under age 12, are available at the gate before the game, by calling (941) 907-0000, or online at http://www.sarasotapolo.com/polo_club_shop/tickets.cfm.

Events for the 2007 polo season run throughout the spring.  Tournaments include a two-day Wayne Brown Tournament, the MGA Insurance Group United States Polo Association National Inter-Circuit Tournament Finals, the Triple Crown of Polo and ESPN 2/Robert A. Uihlein, Jr. Memorial Tournament, the Stanford United States Polo Association Regional Classic, and the finals for the Ringling Cup. 

Other events include a Luck O’ the Irish Tailgating Contest in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and an Easter Eggstravaganza Tailgating Contest.  The tailgating and themed tailgating contests have increased the popularity of the Polo Club and of polo itself among residents of and visitors to the Sarasota area.

The Sarasota Polo Club also hosts a variety of non-polo events throughout the year; past examples have included "Jazz at the Ranch," the Suncoast Wine Festival, and a musical "Evening Under the Stars."  In addition, the clubhouse and pavilion are available during the off-season for rent for private use, such as meetings, seminars, weddings, and other events.

The main source of information about the sport of polo in the Sarasota area is Sarasota Polo Magazine, which publishes polo-related articles and photographs, as well as game and tournament schedules, information about the game and the various strategies and techniques employed by the players, and information about players, their families, their sponsors, and their fans.  More information about the magazine, published annually, is available by calling (941) 907-0717, or online at http://www.sarasotapolo.com/Sarasota-Polo-Magazine/magazine.cfm.

General information about the Sarasota Polo Club, including membership details, driving directions, a current schedule of events, and more, is available by contacting the club at (941) 907-0000, or online at http://www.sarasotapolo.com.