Princes and Nachos - Polo on Governors Island

....and bubbly and stilettos. Last Sunday, Governors Island played host to a polo match, the sport of kings and nobility, featuring opposing teams, Black Watch and Black Rock. The teams were playing for the benefit of an HIV charity associated with England's Prince Harry. Without a doubt, Prince Harry and Nacho were easily the biggest draw today.

Prince Harry (No. 1 in the white jersey, left)

And I'm not talking about the kind of crunchy nachos dripping with cheese that you get at the movie theater, but Nacho Figueras, handsome model and Argentinian captain of winning team, Black Rock.

Photography cannot possibly convey the temperature on the blazing field. It was "Africa hot" during Sunday's polo match on Governors Island; rivaled only by the heat felt while meandering and haggling in the bazaars of Morocco. Under a golden umbrella, I shared a bottle of Veuve with Mimi and Jmzs. The champagne was a tasty and refreshing treat in today's "dog day". Even the horses were getting replaced every 10-15 minutes, but as a spectator, I thought I might nearly burst into flames.

Nacho in action on the field and with the crowds (above and below).

The fabulous fashions at the match consisted of bright and colorful airy summer dresses, big hats, parasols, and sandals or ultra-high heels. During the half, the announcer invited the stilletto-clad crowd to come out onto the grounds for the "divot stomp" to help replace the divots uprooted during the game. "Stay away from the steamy ones!" he warned.

The half-time divot stomp.

Looking as if he were born on a horse, my initial thought was that Prince Harry might be little more than a show pony, but after his infamous fall off of his horse early in the match, he actually scored a point or two. I was a little disappointed that he didn't acknowledge us peasants though. The youngest girls were here squealing with delight every time Prince Harry's horse roamed in the general vicinity.

Meanwhile, the women "of a certain age" swooned readily admitting that they were here to get a glimpse of Nacho. With a swing of his mallet, he got the crowd riled up on several occasions. The final score was 6/5 and the match went into overtime- not that anyone was really paying attention to anything besides the likes of the two most popular players. During half time, Mr. Figueras also took photos with the crowd making himself and the sport simultaneously accessible.

 

More of the ladies' fashions that were out and about at the match.

Decadent garbage.

Stay tuned for more summer fun on Governors Island with the Jazz Age Lawn Party.

It will surely be Gatsby at its best!