Hawaii horseman and internationally known polo player Thomas Francis Campos, 84, died Sept. 29 at his home.

A statement released by the family said Campos started playing polo at Kapiolani Park after attending Saint Louis High School and San Rafael Military Academy in San Rafael, Calif.

“;When polo gained its strength in the islands, Campos' tremendous talents were firmly enmeshed in the game,”; the statement said. “;Tommy would mount the visiting teams, train, teach and played worldwide.”;

The family said Campos also performed in the rodeo circuit, competing in different events.

He also dedicated himself to breeding, breaking and training horses.

“;Tommy believed when dealing with horses you need to start at the barn. The care, feeding and exercising of these magnificent animals are No. 1. 'If you speak to them, they will take good care of you.'”;

Bridgette Ardo, one of Campos' grandchildren, said he was known in the islands' polo community as one of “;The King's Men,”; referring to the sport as one for kings.

In profiling Campos and five other “;King's Men,”; Sascha Jansen in a 1992 Hawaii Polo magazine described him as “;a master horseman. A man who can breed, break and train a horse and ride him well. The best these islands have.”;

At the time of the article he was an overseer of Circle Z Ranch, a boarding stable owned by Enrique Zobel in Waimanalo.

Campos said he was “;practically born on a horse,”; growing up riding herd on his father's dairy farm - L.W. Campos Ranch in Kailua, which was also known as Campos Dairy until it merged with Foremost Dairy.

A 1994 MidWeek cover story said Campos grew up riding the range on the 800 to 1,000 acres where his father's herd of 1,000 to 1,200 cattle roamed. The dairy was located where Windward Passage condominiums are now located. There was no Kailua or Enchanted Lake until the dairy operations closed.

Jansen said in the 1992 article that Campos had stopped playing polo in 1969 because of a serious injury and was interested in promoting the sport among island youth programs.

He said then that “;85 percent of that game belongs to the horse. Each player should have instinctive sympathy with his ponies.”;

Ardo said Campos was a close friend to the late Don Ho and his family as well as Danny Kaleikini.

He is survived by wife Edith; daughters Pam McCreadie, Sharon Gabriel and Debra Kaae; 11 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 8:30 to 11 a.m. Monday at St. Anthony's Church in Kailua. The eulogy and Mass will be held at 11 a.m. followed by burial at 1 p.m. at Hawaiian Memorial Park.