Dan's Papers - July 27, 2007

Last Saturday, the big white tents with the blue and white Mercedes Benz logos went up at JetOne Jets Field on Hayground road and, within hours, were filled to the ropes with Hamptons socialites and enough celebrities to make the chicest nightclubs jealous. Although the party was in honor of the opening day of the professional high-goal polo season, Saturday was a celebration of Hamptons-style excess as well as sport.

The crowd's choice of dress created a sea of Pretty Woman-esque wide-brimmed hats and L.A.-style sundresses, sky-high sandals and short shorts. More formal than the Hampton Classic crowd, the polo tent was like a nightclub lit by sunlight, with thumping music, endless drinks and a bubbly atmosphere. With the DJ drowning out the polo announcer, who was inconspicuously tucked away from the action atop a white lifeguard stand, it was difficult to pay attention to the game, especially because it took a full fifteen minutes to traverse the sea of people in between the bar and the polo field.

Among the luxurious distractions were tents filled with all sorts of delightful food, drink and swag. One tent housed a shop selling only official Bridgehampton Polo Club gear -- next to that, a T-Mobile tent decorated in Lilly Pulitzer pink with a full bar and DJ booth manned by "That '70s Show" stars Wilmer Valderama, Danny Masterson and entertainer Damien Wayans. The bars kept the conversation flowing freely, especially the main bar, which ran the length of the VIP tent and displayed recipes for Alize cocktails from which guests could pick their poison for the afternoon. Guests were treated to drinks made with Donald Trump's debut beverage, Trump Vodka, Alize and miniature bottles of champagne along with the usual top-shelf liquors and mixers. Smaller tents next to the polo field dedicated to Manhattan Mortgage, Ralph Lauren and his Black Watch polo team and other corporate sponsors provided quieter, shady spots to follow the ball and feast your eyes on the glistening horses and world-class athletes while sampling fresh hors d'oeuvres and sipping champagne.

Familiar faces dotted the manicured lawn, chatting up News 12's Gina Glickman and other reporters and making plans for after partying. Emmy Award-winner "Will & Grace" star Debra Messing hosted the event, hoisting the ball onto the filed at the start of each chukka. Revelers under the tents included Black Watch polo star and Ralph Lauren spokesmodel, Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras and his wife, Delfina Blaquier, who were intently watching the game from beginning to end under the shade of Ralph Lauren's tent; Howard Stern's fiancee, Beth Ostrosky, and Katie Lee Joel, who posed for photographs in between interviews; pop singer Samantha Cole; photographers Patrick McMullen and Nick Weil; first lady of soul, Aretha Franklin; designer Shoshanna Lonstein; AJ Calloway; B. Smith; Bijou Phillips; Danny Masterson; James Lipton; Jeffrey Chodorow; champion showjumper and Hampton Classic Horse Show diva, Kelly Klein; Kim Raver; Leven Rambin; Michelle Rodriguez; baseball legend Reggie Jackson; Vito Schnabel; real estate mogul and celebrity chef Andrew Borrok; restaurateur Jean-Luc Kleefield; Barbara Blatt; Dr. Andrew Mark Klapper; celebrity trainer Radu; Nello Balan and Josh Guberman. Despite the roar of the crowds in the tent, die-hard polo players from the Southampton Polo Club and other fans of the sport pressed against the dainty white picket fence to watch every minute of the heated match.

Out on the field, Endeavor (Larry Austin, Pablo Spinacci, Pancho Bensadon and Nacho Taverna) pummeled White Birch (Martin Donovan, Chris Nevins, Mariano Aguerre and Peter Brant) with a final score of (12-8). Pancho Bensadon worked hard for the first MVP trophy of the season, scoring nine goals overall. Ignacio "Nacho" Figueras, the star of Ralph Lauren's Black Watch Team, was one of those paying close attention to the game and gave his comments on the day's sport after the final horn blew. "The field played really well," he said. "Endeavor played really well as a team. Peter Brant (of White Birch) is just coming back from an injury and this was their first game of the season. Brant is one of the best players out there and I think that it is only a matter of time before he and his team come back strong. They're a tough team and they have great horses -- they have been proven to be a really good team and they are always contenders here at Bridgehampton." Overall, Nacho "knows that this is going to be a great season and it is only just beginning."

And if the Saturday scene seems overwhelming, the professionals play almost every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday through August and spectators are always welcome.

Below you will find the results of Saturday's game. Beside each player's name is their handicap and the number of goals each player scored during each of the six chukkahs. Be sure to check Dan's Papers weekly for the latest score sheets and Nacho Figueras' commentary.