Living in LoCo
America’s Polo Cup: Complaints Runneth Over?
Erica Garman at 4:12 p.m., May 15, 2008 (6 comments)
The CW channel in the metro area, WDCW-TV, will be airing "Land Rover America's Polo Cup--Where the Elite Meet" on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The show, hosted by Paul Wharton, of MTV and VH1 fame, will feature highlights from Friday night's exclusive gala and fashion show, and footage from Saturday's polo event at Morven Park.
Paul Wharton hosts CW's "Land Rover America's Polo Cup—Where The Elite Meet" on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. (Photos by Erica Garman)
As wonderful as the event will undoubtedly look on TV, I bet the CW won't be highlighting the food service issues that guests encountered on Saturday in the $150-a-ticket VIP Italian Celebration Tent.
Last year's event drew similar food complaints, and as a result, two new providers were chosen for Saturday's soiree -- D'Acqua and Occasions Caterers.
D'Acqua's chef, Enzo Febbraro, was initially excited about being involved with the event.
Now? Not so much.
Febbraro said his restaurant is used to catering large functions, and this was the "most disorganized event" he's ever worked. "The polo folks underestimated the people we'd be serving by 70 percent," he said, "I was told to provide food for 300 people -- there were several hundred more." Febbraro said there were similar miscommunications with the Journey for the Cure tent as well, and food had to be rationed to make it through the event.
Rosann Partyka and her husband came down from Rutherford, N.J., with four of their friends. The group had purchased VIP tent tickets. "We were starving, and some nice volunteer felt sorry for us, and sneaked us a few slices of pizza so we could have something to eat. It was ridiculous," she said.
I spoke with Tareq Salahi, chairman of the event, earlier today to discuss the problems. He considers the event a huge success, despite the rainy weather and the clean-up they had to do to get it off the ground, and said he's had few complaints compared to last year. "As far as we're concerned this event was a thousand-percent improved," he said. "Occasions did a very good job in all the tents they sponsored -- their reviews have been A+ and we are thrilled with them."
Occasions Catering provided food for the invitation-only sponsor tents -- PNC, SunTrust, Cartier and Inova Healthcare. A spokesman for OC declined to comment on the event.
The buffet in the VIP Italian Celebration Tent.
When asked about the lack of food and beverages in the VIP Italian Celebration Tent, Salahi said that perhaps guests were thinking of this function as more than a polo charity match. "This is a hospitality tent with light food and drinks, not a place to have a sit-down meal."
What about running out of white wine so early? "As the weather got warmer and the sun came out, people started drinking more Chardonnay than we anticipated," he said.
Luckily, there were a few Virginia wine vendors at the event who were able to supply organizers with wine for the remainder of the day—albeit out of Styrofoam cups.
Next year, the America's Polo Cup will be held at the Potomac Polo Club in Poolesville, Md.
Organizers cited Morven Park's field renovations as the reason for moving the event in 2009. Will America's Polo Cup be back in 2010?
Salahi didn't come out and say "never," but it sounds as if he may have reservations about returning the event to Loudoun, citing little monetary support from the county. He said, "It may be tough to come back to Loudoun -- it's so expensive. It will be a real challenge for the [America's Polo Cup] Board to do so."
Is this perhaps a call to Loudoun's Board of Supervisors to "sweeten the deal?"
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I attended last year, and this was greatly improved. We didnt experience that in the Journey for the Cure Tent at all. I dont know which people thought food was scarce. I was there from 2pm till the end, and then they took away the food part at 5pm when the catering ended. I hope guests arent trying to say they want food non stop till the end? Well Done. I do hope you return to Loudoun, although Potomac isnt so bad. Will the White Ferry stay open late next year for us in Leesburg?
Posted by sunnylady138 (anonymous) on May 16, 2008 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good Grief. I used to like this paper when I visited my brother I would read it. Your paper seems to focus to try to find the negative in everything. Poor writing here. My family lives in Purcellville. I live in DC. I guess this paper and its writer see's the glass half empty. The day was Fantastic! Guess you missed the night before - the food was wonderful - even better! This is for charity. Shame on your paper and writer. I have an illness and was so happy to see the weekend's events. For me being able to get out and enjoy the music, fashion, and polo was everything. Sound's like your paper/writer isn't too happy of a person. Being able to get up in the morning and share smiles, help people is what it is all about. Poor writing on this paper's part to miss the most important thing, making a difference for people like me.
Posted by smorgan1 (anonymous) on May 16, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You're right smorgan1..it's all about you...Erica does a great job of reflecting what people are talking about in the community, both good and bad, and that's what she did in the story you didn't like. Just because you don't agree doesn't make it "poor writing."
Incidentally, the "charity" term is used many times. Exactly how much money did this event donate to charity, which organizations got the money, and what percent of proceeds actually went to charity?
Posted by hphokie (anonymous) on May 16, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Our family had a great time. On the contrary - the organizers overcomed the terrible weather and still put on an amazing day that makes every other event in Loudoun or Morven Park seem a bore. We love the weekend event and our friends that came down from NY loved it also. Thanks for being in Loudoun. We hope you come back. This is the type of community activities we should support.
Posted by erica.bennett18 (anonymous) on May 16, 2008 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW! That Show on CW tonight rocked. What an incredible event for our community. Better than last years Superbowl, and perfect for the entire family. Especially mine with 3 children under 12 :)
In all seriousness - as a resident of Loudoun County, its a real shame we are not having the America's Cup come back to our community - will the Board of Supervisors or someone PLEASE wake up, and lets keep these kind of community events vs. more development! Someone better go back and beg these folks to return... if you dont - in time, you we will end up losing Morven Park with less and less ways for that place to stay afloat. LOVE YOU AMERICA'S CUP OF POLO! WAY TO GO! COME BACK! WE LOVE YOU & GOD BLESS HELPING FIGHT MS - I PRAY FOR A CURE ONE DAY!
Posted by SpclEvents2000 (anonymous) on May 17, 2008 at 10:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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