For many years the Board of Directors of Virginia Polo has discussed the need for a hay and equipment shed to store large amounts of hay for the ponies and protect the club’s farm equipment from the elements. With a vision towards the future, this year we’ve begun to plan the building and fundraise for the project. The members of the board have put in many hours reviewing designs, materials, and locations and after much research, have decided upon a wooden polo barn spanning 100’ x 30’. Honoring the master plan for the Virginia Polo Center, the new hay shed will blend seamlessly with the other buildings on site and be constructed with quality materials and methods to ensure it will last for many years into the future.
Along with generous lead gifts, support from the USPA’s Polo Development Initiative grant we applied for and received, we need to raise the remaining $18,240 to complete the project. Would you like to be a part of this effort?
The location selected for the new shed will be on the site of the old wooden barn. Many of us have fond memories of our time spent at the wooden shed barn during our years at Virginia Polo. It was the first structure built at Forest Lodge in the early 1980’s and was the pride and joy of a team who had never known the security of having their very own barn. Sadly, the barn is no longer a functional use of space with its low roof and narrow support beam spacing. It has served the club well for many years; but now, with a vision for the future of the facility, we plan to replace it with a larger, more functional hay and machinery storage shed.
The advantages of the new shed will be a higher roof line and wide-open bays, allowing our hay to be delivered directly into the shed and for tractors to easily enter. With the additional protected space, the club will be able to purchase hay in larger quantities, resulting in a lower bulk price, thus saving us money on hay over time. Ever noticed the farm equipment down around the pond? The shed will also be large enough to store the club’s farm equipment, protecting it from the weather, ensuring it has a longer lifespan and preventing weather-related malfunctions- essentially protecting the investments you, our donors, make in the club. Along with the storage benefits provided by the new shed, we are also designing a shop area to repair equipment when needed.
Our goal is to raise as much of the funds needed for the project in order to reduce the cost to the club. As many of you know, it is the goal of the governing board to use as little of the Endowment Fund annually as possible in order to allow our Endowment balances to grow in the market over time, moving Virginia Polo closer and closer to self-sustainability. If you share these goals, please consider making a donation to the Hay & Equipment Shed project, or simply to the General Endowment itself, to be a part of protecting the future of the Virginia Polo Club.
Use this link to donate directly to the Hay & Equipment Shed fund.
