Polo returned to the fields in full swing last Sunday with the first game of the BG Vero Beach Polo Club’s 2017 Winter Season.
Despite a chilly brisk wind, families spent the afternoon tailgating as they watched the sport of kings from the sidelines and, later, during the “Champagne Divot Stomp,” were treated to a dance interpretation by Ballet Master Camilo A. Rodriguez of sculptor Deborah Butterfield’s Horses exhibition on display at the Vero Beach Museum of Art.
BG Polo picked up the ball in 2014 when Vero Beach Polo founders George and Sandy Kahle opted out after 15 years of play. When BG Polo & Equestrian owner Bobby Genovese first opened his polo school and training facility in Vero Beach, his plan was to infuse the existing club with young players. Over the course of three years, with the school and the club under one umbrella, the BG Vero Beach Polo Club has become a successful program with a bright future.
Genovese credits much of the success to the support of the founding families. “The core group has picked this club up and taken it to a whole new level,” he said. “It speaks volumes that the old guard is still coming out, playing and supporting polo.”
In their first year roughly 500 people turned out for matches, and this year Genovese expects the crowd to swell to upwards of 3,000.
“It’s come back home,” says Equestrian Director Patta Conboy, noting that from its inception Vero Beach Polo featured the Busch, Kahle, Proctor and Replogle families. “And now they are passing the baton to the younger generation.”
Conboy has been successful at getting the word out that Vero Beach is a polo destination, with packages and membership opportunities that allow polo enthusiasts to pop into town for anything from a private lesson to a match. As an added benefit, visitors spend money at restaurants, hotels and shops.
“The sleepy little town of Vero Beach is a huge draw to players. With the caliber of instruction and state-of-the-art facilities we offer, we’re seeing more and more visitors,” shared Conboy. “People are drawn to the idea of a family, fun club and the casual lifestyle.”
She spent much of the summer visiting other clubs to get a broader view of programs offered across the country, adding, “We’re building a solid local program with a broad reach.”
Tiffany Busch and Gaston Rodriguez have been part of the local polo scene since its inception and have garnered a stellar reputation on and off the field. They have joined the club as instructors and now, with two instructors on the fields during practice, they can maximize coaching on both sides of the team.
“I love the family dynamics of the polo here. Every one of my family members comes out on Sunday to watch me play polo,” said Busch, who grew up with the game and has become one of the top-rated female players in the world. “It’s not just what happens on the field, it’s what happens off the field, and it’s the coming together of the community.”
While they may have been adversaries on the field, Rodriguez, a veteran player and teacher with a four-goal rating, said he and Busch have always been friends.
“I’m excited to be joining forces with Tiffany to return Vero Beach Polo to the former family environment we had when I first came here,” Rodriguez said.
BG Vero Beach Polo is working to expand the sport through education, member support, youth programs and community outreach.
“I’m really excited,” said Genovese. “This year we’ve got more high-goal players coming in than ever before. We’re getting more and more involved in the community. The goal has always been to be more involved with the community and bring polo back to Vero Beach.”
On Jan. 28 they will host a Polo with a Purpose Charity Ball at the Oak Harbor Club to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. When a member of the BG Vero Beach Polo Club family was diagnosed with leukemia, they were inspired by cancer survivor Brandon Phillips, a professional five-goal player, and his endeavor to rid the world of cancer.
“We’ve got all the right elements for what could be a successful event the first time out,” said Conboy. “The ball will raise funds for cancer research while increasing awareness about what’s going on with polo in Vero Beach.”
The event will honor local physicians Dr. Leonardo Mandina and Dr. Michaela Scott, and will feature cocktails, dinner, dancing and a live auction.
The 16-week season includes two four-goal, one six-goal and an eight-goal tournament, and a Woman’s Invitational. Matches are held every Sunday through April 30 (except April 23) at the BG Polo Grounds, 7634 South Polo Grounds Way. Gates open at 12:30 p.m. and matches begin at 1:30 p.m.
For more information, visit VeroBeachPolo.com or call 772-999-3709.
