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264 PRESTIGE OCTOBER 2006 Ms Sessa von Richthofen and Mr Richard Johnson Mr Jason Binn, Mrs Haley Binn with daughter, Mistress Penny Binn Ms Chloe Sevigny Ms Brooke Shields Mr Camel Fattouh, Mr Sebastian Stubbe and Mr Emmet Austin Mr Bruce Colley and Ms Yvonna Morabito MERCEDES-BENZ POLO CHALLENGE AT THE BRIDGEMAN POLO Photos by Christopher London and Gregor y Par tanio BRIDGEHAMPTON POLO: The King of Scenes SOCIETY REPORT MANHATTAN POLO IS OFTEN referred to as the king of games and the game of kings, with origins dating back to the 6 th century BC. In the Hamptons, the annual Mercedes Benz Cup Challenge at Bridgehampton Polo carries on this rich tradition on summer Saturdays through the last week of August. Matches are played on the green fields of Two Trees Farm in Watermill, New York. These matches attract leaders of business as well as members of the media, fashion and society. Ironically these leaders can be found on and off the playing field as the players are often socialites, celebrities and/or business leaders. Absent a trust fund, a lucrative career or sponsorship is imperative to pursue a career as a polo player. Even assuming one has the talent, one will need to invest a princely sum or perhaps even a king’s ransom in pursuit of this passion. Polo ponies are not a dime a dozen. The VIP tent at the Mercedes Benz Cup Challenge at Bridgehampton Polo is strictly exclusive, with sponsors and event promoters extraordinaire, the Strategic Group, blending classic tradition with a uniquely Hamptons flavour. Movie stars, models, media moguls, titans of industry and even royalty can be found under this ‘big top’. By Christopher London
