2009 SARATOGA POLO SEASON BEGINS JULY 10th
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The thundering of polo ponies, competing on an area the size of
nine football fields, returns this summer with the fast-paced action of the 2009 season of
Saratoga Polo. The season opens on Friday, July 10 and play continues through Labor Day
weekend, concluding Sunday, Sept. 6. Saratoga Polo matches are played every Wednesday,
Friday and Sunday; gates open at 4 p.m. and matches start at 5:30 p.m. at the polo grounds at
Bloomfield and Denton Roads (weather and field conditions permitting). Admission is $25 per
person for entry into the Clubhouse – offering box seats, air-conditioning and a full cash bar – or
$25 per carload on the general admission lawn.
Patrons will notice a few new faces on and off the field this season, as Saratoga Polo
welcomes additions to the polo operations and catering teams. Nicholas Barry has been hired as
Polo Manager and is working alongside longtime Polo Director Tony Coppola to secure an
outstanding caliber of polo teams for competition. Barry formerly served as Business Manager at
the Port Mayaca Polo Club in South Florida and is a former member of the University of Virginia
polo team. Barry first started playing the sport fourteen years ago at the Darlington Polo Club in
western Pennsylvania, and has played polo throughout the United States, Argentina and
England.
Also new to Saratoga Polo this season is the addition of Jacob & Anthony’s Catering as food
and beverage operator. Part of the Marrello Restaurant Group – which also operates the everpopular
Bellini’s Italian Eatery with two regional locations in Clifton Park and Slingerlands – Jacob
& Anthony’s will be the exclusive food and beverage vendor for Saratoga Polo, hosting private
events and providing food during polo matches. This season’s menu includes unlimited tapas –
featuring mini grilled shrimp BLTs, savory wood-fired pizza and an antipasto table, among other
hot and cold selections – at a cost of $25 per person.
“We are looking forward to a wonderful season this year, as we welcome some outstanding
teams playing on our historic field, and equally outstanding talent from our new staff and
partners,” James Rossi, managing partner of Saratoga Polo said.
Saratoga Polo is one of the four oldest polo clubs in the United States, located on 42
acres, with many matches taking place on the original field built by William Collins Whitney in
1898. Sponsors of the 2009 Saratoga Polo Season include Michelob Light, Veuve Clicquot
Champagne, The Saratogian, The Times Union, UBS, WROW AM 590, The Talking Phone Book
and Gurka’s Original Bar Rooms. Additional information is available by calling the Saratoga Polo
Association at 518-584-8108 or visiting www.saratogapolo.com.