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King Family Vineyards in Albemarle County is famous for its delicious wines and also for ‘Polo Sundays’ throughout the year. When David and Ellen King relocated to Virginia from Houston, Texas in 1995, their top priority was to find a farm with 12 acres of somewhat flat land for polo. They hadn’t even thought about vineyards or a winery yet. David had been playing polo since 1980 and wished to continue enjoying the sport at a polo field and club. The farm that today houses Roseland Polo and King Family Vineyards fits nicely into the family’s vision of a country retreat where everyone could live, work, and play. Their newest venture, The Roseland Polo School, teaches polo to players of all ages and ensures the legacy.
Today, the Roseland Polo Club has grown from David and Ellen’s ambition to promote the sport of polo in the Charlottesville area. The Roseland Polo Club exposes the public to polo by hosting free polo matches every Sunday and allowing fans, adults and kids, the opportunity to learn to play at The Roseland Polo School. All of Central Virginia’s wine industry has been growing alongside too. In 2023 the Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards honored The Charlottesville area’s Monticello AVA in 2023 with the designation of Wine Region of the Year cementing Virginia’s place on the world wine scene. We’ve even created a guide for parents about the best family-friendly wineries.
There are two amazing ways to participate in Polo at King Family Vineyards – your family can watch a Sunday polo match or you could participate in the Roseland Polo School.
In addition to polo, King Family Vineyards often hosts food trucks, live music, trivia nights, special events and more. This makes a great multi-family outing with lots of space to spread out on the grass and chat with friends while you enjoy a glass of wine and mountain views. If you’re a lacrosse family, you may find yourself invited to a practice on fields at the vineyard. All three of the King Family sons, Carrington, Stuart and James played lacrosse in college and now enjoy being team parents and coaching too.
Attend A King Family Vineyards Polo Match with Kids
Sundays Memorial Day Weekend through the end of October, families can head to Crozet for a fun-filled day outdoors at King Family Vineyards. The Roseland Polo matches begin at 12, field and weather conditions permitting – watch facebook or check their website for updates.
The King Family Vineyard gates open at 10 and it is wise to arrive early as spots around the Roseland polo field are first-come first-served. Find a spot where you can watch the polo match with the kids and make your family a “home base”. You are welcome to bring a picnic blanket, chairs and even a small shade tent to keep the little ones out of the sun at your tailgate. A frisbee, cornhole, cards, bubbles are all fun … pack along some small toys for the kids to enjoy during downtimes.
Food & Drinks For Kids at the Polo Field
There are terrific local food trucks for guest convenience every Sunday and you can also bring picnic goodies so you’re sure to have something every little one likes. Picnic ideas: Sandwiches from the Greenwood Grocery, pastries from Marie Bette, local cheese from Feast!, fruit from Chiles Peach Orchard – Charlottesville abounds with delicious dining so you have lots of great picnic options.
Roseland Polo’s Mission statement is simple…. “To create a sustainable polo community in the Charlottesville area with continuous growth in the number of participants and level of play”
Virginia’s summer days can be hot so be sure to pack some ice packs and cool treats like popsicles or frozen grapes. No outside alcohol is allowed but, not to worry, award-wining King Family Vineyards wines will be served field-side along with chilled bottled water. If you like, reserved spaces for your tailgate can be purchased in advance. Matches during heat waves are often postposed to cooler evening hours, watch the King Family Vineyards social media accounts and website for updates.
What to Bring To A Polo Match for Kids
Essentials for the kids! Sunscreen, a hat, bug spray and lots of water. If your child is young enough to nap, pack a lays-flat style stroller or cot that you can drape a light blanket over so they can rest. Plan ahead for potty breaks for the kids as you may need to walk or wait a bit. Portable restrooms are located behind the scoreboard and on the west end of the polo field.
There are areas where you can pop up a small tent for a tailgate and in Virginia summers, shade is always welcome. At the Vineyard, keep in mind good rules for guests. Be sure to pack a bag for any trash and tidy up carefully throughout the day. If kids are playing a more active game with a ball or frisbee, guide them away from other spectators. Polo is a potentially dangerous sport so keep a close eye on your little ones. Children may not realize they’ve strayed too close to the field or wandered too far away to see your picnic blanket and become lost. There can be 1500 spectators at Sunday Polo. Dogs are also welcome at King Family Vineyards and Roseland Polo but must always be on leash.
Teaching Kids the Basics of Polo
Polo is among the world’s oldest team sports. Considered the “sport of kings,” it originated in Persia (Iran) between the 6th century BC and the 1st century AD. Polo was originally a training game for cavalry forces, typically the king’s guard or other elite warriors. Polo is popular throughout the world, with more than 100 member countries in the Federation of International Polo. It is professionally played in sixteen nations and was an Olympic sport from 1900 to 1936.
In the game of polo, people and their equine partners come together to play an exhilarating game, showcasing the incredible athleticism and coordination necessary of both horse and rider. Polo ponies come from thoroughbred stock and are highly trained for 3 to 4 years before they play in serious competitions. The polo ponies must master unusual talents such as galloping in a group while colliding with other ponies, obeying unexpected commands like quick turns, protecting riders while they bend to strike the ball and more.
A highlight of the polo match for lots of kids is halftime and “The Stomping of the Divots”—a time-honored tradition in the sport of polo. When the horses run their hooves tear up the turf, creating little holes or divets. At halftime everyone is invited to come walk around the field and kick the little mounds of grass back into the divot and stomp it back in place.
Learn to Play Polo at The Roseland Polo School
Did you love watching the exciting polo match? Now you can learn to play polo yourself! Instead of watching from the sidelines, you may now take polo lessons on horseback. Kids and adults can learn both how to ride a horse and how to play polo at Roseland Polo School near Charlottesville.
On the first day at the Roseland Polo School, you can mount a horse with a mallet in hand, providing even a beginner an inside view of the sport of polo. The Polo School provides polo instruction year-round at its cutting-edge polo facility on King Family Vineyards’ grounds. Polo lessons are open to anybody, with or without riding experience.
To get off to a great foundational start, instructors first introduce students to the sport through private or semi-private mounted instruction or a polo clinic. After learning the fundamentals of riding a polo pony and swinging, students are encouraged to participate in group lessons, where they get more experience and learn more about the sport. Eventually, via preparation in these group lessons, students will be able to join the Roseland Polo Club and play.
Private polo lessons for kids are an hour or hour and a half. Group and private lessons as well as clinics round out training opportunities for young people. The Roseland Polo School is sanctioned by the US Polo Association and prioritizes the safety of both riders and horses.
Meet the Roseland Polo School Director
Ali King, the founders’ daughter-in-law, is the manager at the Roseland Polo School. She grew up riding horses and transitioned from a hunter jumper riding background to playing polo for the last several years. Ali has also worked as a professional horse trainer and is excited to now be sharing her skills and working with students and polo ponies at the Roseland Polo School. This Crozet mom is not only an experienced equestrian but also a great teacher.
Learning to ride horses and mastering a sport are great learning experiences for kids to be healthy and grow. Some other favorite local horse experiences include the steeplechases Montpelier Hunt Races and Foxfield Family Day. Charlottesville is an amazing place to raise a family – great homes, schools, summer camps, farmers markets, festivals and so much more! ~
JENNIFER BRYERTON, Ma Ed., our Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, started her career in teaching, Co-founded CharlottesvilleFamily and is a mom of four. A believer in experiential education and an avid gardener, beehives, a fruit and veggie plot, perennial borders and a chicken coop dot the family lawn west of Charlottesville. Jen also enjoys sharing travel, museums, theater performances and nature attractions with her family.