[Villages Kahuna]

The U.S. team from The Villages beat the team from Argentina this afternoon, 8-7. The U.S. also won on Wednesday. But because the tournament is a total goals match, the winner of the cup will be determined on Sunday afternoon at a final game at The Villages Polo Field at 1:00 PM. If you've never attended a game, this would eb a great initiation for you.

Here's a picture I took during this afternoon's action.

[chelsea24]

Wow Kahuna that's a great picture! Just curious what kind of camera you use? ???

[chuckinca]

VK:

Is team from Villages residents or a team that is sponsored by TV.

Is the team cost part of the TV amenities fees or CDD fees?

Where does the Villages team keep their horses?


It would be a neat thing to let people know that I (and other TV residents) am a part owner of a polo team!

Wonder how TV ever got involved with Polo?

[Villages Kahuna]

I use a Canon EOS 20D DSLR with a 75-300mm digital zoom lens mounted on a monopod to take polo pictures.

While I know that none of the polo players that play on teams at the polo field are actually Villages residents, I really can't answer about the "ownership" of the teams that play there. During the spring and fall seasons, there are a couple of dozen regular players that play there. They form teams for various purposes. Sometimes there are teams that represent one village or another. Other times there are U.S. teams that play teams representing other countries. The players from the other countries are not regulars at The Villages polo field. They travel here from either other parts of the U.S. or foreign countries to play. As is the custom in polo, the host team provides or arranges for the horses for the visitors to use. Some of the horses are kept in the area directly north of the polo field and others seem to be trailered in from other horse farms in the area.

Today I was shooting from near the sidelines and you could clearly hear the U.S. players communicating with their teammates in English while the Argentinians communicated with one another in Spanish.

As far as who owns the teams and how they are financed, the admission is $3 per person, which even with a large crowd doesn't seem to be enough to maintain the facility, pay the staff, pay the game officials, maybe pay the players, etc. So I guess the answer is that a lot of the money needed to provide the polo program comes from our amenities fees thru the Recreation department.

The US player in the picture is Brad Limehouse. He's my favorite and he gave me a hug after last Wednesday's game! I also really like Stuart Campbell. Love you picture.

[chuckinca]

VK:

Thanks for the info - guess we can say we are part owners of a polo team and polo stadium!

[Just Susan]

So VK we went to our 1st Polo Match today at your suggestion. We really enjoyed it and will probably go again. They sure are short ...only 3 chuckles?? Just teasing we got rained out. Oh well fun anyway.

[Russ_Boston]

I had the strangest dream last night. I dreamt that i opened a door in my house and walked into the grand stands at the polo grounds! Weird.

[Villages Kahuna]

I don't have to go any farther than Page 1 of TOTV postings to find several that should be in Contractors & Services.

Why shouldn't the repeated messages about how many posts there are on TOTV be placed under Computer Questions. What does the number of TOTV posts have to do with General Villages Discussion? How about the wi-fi discussion? Is that General Villages Discussion or Computer Questions? Even the Talk Host left his own post regarding pool covers and Florida Spa & Pool in General Villages Discussion rather than Contractors & Services where it clearly should be placed.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not all bent out of shape about the examples cited above being left in General Villages Discussion. If anything, I think there are way too many categories. But I am upset over the clear and repeated inconsistencies of those in charge moving posts around to different categories in what sometimes (not always!) appears to be a willy-nilly fashion.

[redwitch]

VK, your pics are awesome! Do they do tailgate parties before every polo match or just certain ones? Thinking it might be fun to do a TOTV for a match or two -- maybe someone could create some sort of banner to advertise the site for it?

[Villages Kahuna]

...First, they are very inexpensive to attend...$3 per person.

Then you can drive your golf cart right up behind the hedges lining each side of the field and watch the game from there. There are also trees along each side and the golf cart parking spots in the shade of the trees fill up first.

Or, you can park your cart or car and find a seat in the grandstand. There, the Villages polo Club generally has a member do a little "Polo For Dummies" presentation before each game, explaining the rules, telling about the horses, players, etc. The seats are comfortable and they also have 2-for-1 drinks, inexpensive food, and all the comforts of home. When two games are played, the "grandstand people" simply move from one side of the grandstand to the other to replicate their seats for the second game on the other side. Not that it's a big deal, but the "golf cart people" have to drive from one field to the other to watch the second game.

There is almost always someone or groups doing a tailgate party. There are even some reserved spots for groups using carts along the sides of the field in the prime locations, although I don't know how one goes about making group reservations. Almost all the spectators arriving in carts bring something to drink or eat.

One thing I can say for sure...there are lots worse ways to spend a beautiful day in The Villages than parking next to the Polo Field and watching the beauty and power of the horses and riders. There are lots of reasons they refer to equine sports as "the sport of kings". And living here in TV, we can be kings (and queens) ourselves!