Polo Part 2, July 27
By Katlean de Monchy–
The weather was better, the crowds were sparser. It was possible to buy tickets at the gate, although you would not be in a cabana with the fancy folk. As I’ve said before, Hamptons Polo 1 really should be called Christie Brinkley Polo. Even at 70, she has cover girl looks, and a great smile. Everyone who works with her said she is also nice. That was last week:
But this is the second week of polo, which is less celebrity-driven. Nonetheless, BMW and Piaget like to be associated with the people who play polo, and the people who watch polo. On this day one match was between two teams with respectable handicaps: the Patternier team, which is based at the Southampton Polo Club in Water Mill, and Equuleus (it’s a constellation known as the little horse, near Pegasus) is also based there.
Three teams: Scudiera, Patternia, Equuleus (Photo Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com)
In the cozy world of competition polo, several other teams this season are stabled at the Southampton club including Triangulo/Senvest. It’s a little confusing, therefore, to see Equuleus wearing the Senvest shirts. But what matters is telling the two teams apart. The team dressed in white was Scudiera Solaia.
Patternier in red, Equuleus/Senvest in blue (Photo by Rob Rich/Society Allure.com)
Patternier’s sponsor seems to to specialize in fabrics, decor and art. You see those little patches of blue fabric on the shoulders of the Patternier player’s shirts? That’s a Patternier pattern. Two players names keep popping up in Polo Hamptons: Martin Pepa and Nacho Figueras. Nacho, who played for Equuleus on July 20, has a six-goal handicap, and Pepa seems to have a 3, or he did last year.
Martin Pepa with the Best Horse in the game (photo by J.Van der Watt for Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com)
Both are from Argentina. Both are handsome. Equuleus won the Gen. George S. Patton Jr. title at the Hamptons Polo Club earlier in July in a sanctioned match. If you want to watch sanctioned high-goal matches, follow Polo Hamptons, or take a look at this schedule. Some 16-goal matches coming up.
Matches are at the Southampton Polo Club in Water Mill.
At Polo Hamptons, much of the to-do is about seeing other people, chatting, the sponsors, wearing beautiful hats, getting your photo taken, being there, and sometimes also about polo and polo players.
Lianna Warner Gray (Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com)
Polo is played. There are announcements of goals. Divots are stomped during the intermission, after the first two chukkers. But with so many people chattering, sometimes it was just easier to relax and watch the ponies race by.
Amy Green with Giada and Gemma (Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com)
Now to the real sport. Who was there? The philanthopist Amy Green with her daughters Giada and Gemma; Julia Haart, Ryan Serhant, the celebrity real estate guy; Ramona Singer, Luann De Lesseps, the editor in chief of Social Life magazine, Devorah Rose; Alie Mitchell, the owner of “@Social Life” and “@polohamptons”; and the publisher of Social Life magazine, Justin Mitchell.
Devorah Rose, Alie Mitchell (Photo by Rob Rich/Society Allure.com)
Also Chloe Melas, Jean Shafiroff, Ken and Maria Fishel, and Andrea Correale. And a number of fashionably dressed young women, some with hats and some without.
Dawn Bodenchak (Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com)
(Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com)
Event sponsors for Polo Hamptons included BMW of North America, Piaget, Oscar de la Renta, Bellisima (this is Christie Brinkley’s personal choice, Chiffique, Dr. Mark D. Epstein, G.H. Mumm, the New York Spine Institute (possibly for a reason, though most polo injuries are to the wrist and shoulder), Sainte Marguerite en Provence, among others.
(Rob Rich/SocietyAllure.com)
The day ended at 7 pm with the ritual of guys shaking bottles of champagne or maybe Bellisima, and spraying each other. Why not? It’s one way to cool off. And they have done their job of showing people, some of whom may come to more polo matches.
