When Stars Align

How does one stage a social comeback after a one-year hiatus?

Put a twist on the game of kings, and bring aboard a financial powerhouse with an impressive clientele on speed dial, of course!

This proved the solution for our friends at Scotia Private Client Group when they saw it fit to join forces with global fabulista and Polo & More Editor-In-Chief Karen Kranenburg for her Polo Under The Stars series, two Saturdays ago. The Group’s Jamaica Open Polo Championship 2015, having just held court back in March in Barbados, made its night-time debut on The Rock.

The manicured Aqueduct at Rose Hall in St James emerged as the cinematic venue, themed a ‘Morocco Meets Montego Bay’ affair, with the décor touches of Sharon Thomas’s Eventful Designs calling to mind aesthetics commonplace in the North African country. Then, there was culinary skill set of Robbie Joseph, which invited palates to indulge in Moroccan-inspired fare.

At its core, ‘Stars’ centred on an after-dark tournament which featured two arena polo games: the first played between Sandals and Audi, which, at 7-love, the former won on penalties; while match 2 pitted co-hosts Scotiabank Private Client Group against Maison Veuve Clicquot — each second-match team installed with a professional polo player from Argentina — and ended with Veuve beating Scotia 13 – 9.

The night polo event, backed by a cadre of sponsors, namely Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum, UnWine by CPJ, ATL Automotive, Sandals Resorts International, Audi, and Veuve Clicquo, proved quite the social humdinger for the Second City set, who turned out in stylishly outfitted numbers to take in the game. SO basks in the broad beams of the night’s high-intensity floodlights.

PHOTOS: ANTONIO GRAHAM

The Audi display (fromright) S3 sedan; A5 coupé;Q3 and Q5 crossovers.

Champers was the libation of choice for the Scotiabank marketingexec team of marketing manager, programmes Kaysia Vaughan(left); assistant regional marketing manager Tracey-Ann Chin(second left); marketing manager, wealth Simone Hall-Lloyd (secondright); and director of marketing, programmes Simone Walker.

Ottomans and kilims.Woven orb lanterns dottedthe ceiling-scape.Post-match, a titillatingbelly dancer and spiritedperformers (above andbelow) captivated the PoloUnder The Stars patrons.

Polo Under The Stars conceptualiser and Polo & More Editorin-Chief Karen Kranenburg (left), and Caymanas Pony Clubmanager and instructor Heidi Lalor shared the frame with poloplayer and Chukka Caribbean CEO John Byles, then resumedtheir positions, on the field for the second match betweenVeuve Clicquot and Scotiabank Private Client Group.

From left: Valley Fruit farm manager Sam Wates; TulaneUniversity, New Orleans student Ellie Minot; WesleyanUniversity, Connecticut student Amy Kerr; educator and ElCentro director Rachel McDonald; and Laura Kerr, SunsetResorts special projects manager.

Pier One Marketing and EntertainmentCoordinator Sibrena Fenton andJavier Linares, financial director,IberoServices.

Food and beverage consultantRobert Goodard and his wifePrimla, sales manager at CasaMondo, in a Dubai-bought caftan.

Pier One owner Jason Russelljoined by friends, Remax Eliterealtor Taihia Becker (left) andRosanne Moe.Chulani Jewellers director MadhuMahatani (left), and Ceri Moe.

The central four-poster watering hole.

At the Polo Under Stars entrance, on ‘front of house’duty were Scotiabank Fairview branch staffers (fromleft) Renae Remikie, premium relationship officer;Janice Burchell-O’Hare, business banking officer;Saudia Jenkins, premium relationship officer; andJanet Richards, business banking officer.

Moroccan Beefwith Dried Apricot

Beef sliders.Trisan Atkins, chef at RobbieJoseph Catering, segmentedthis grilled rosemary spice legof lamb into bite-sizedmouthfuls.

Polo & More Editor-In-Chief, and Polo Under The Starsconceptualiser Karen Kranenburg in Malini Ramani.

Scotiabank Private Client Group Centre Director Roger Grant (second left) and Scotiabank Group President & CEO Jacqueline Sharp (third left) took a PoloUnder The Stars photo call with Chukka Caribbean Adventures student apprentice Fabiana Byles (left), and her Chukka Caribbean Adventures Director ofSales mom Paola Byles (third right); and therapist Candace Hart, and her Caribbean Producers Jamaica chairman hubby Mark Hart.

The Sandals Resorts International versus Audi match in full swing — and in fullview of the spectators sequestered in the lavish Moroccan-themed tent.

Audi teammember (2),and St AnnPolo Clubmember RoryVernon — atopBlue Note.Polo connoisseur and the evening’s play-by-play commentator Paul Lalor.

Sandals ResortsInternationalteam member(1) and ChukkaBlue memberJohn Byles —nicknamed ‘JohnG’ or ‘The Sultanof Swing’ —and his horsePampita,mid-stride.

Professional Argentine poloplayer and law studentFrancisco Guiñazú — playingfor Scotia Private ClientGroup.Visiting Argentine poloplayer Jose Lartirigoyen —repping for Maison VeuveClicquot — with hisScotiabank gifts.

The Veuve Clicquot team of, from 3 to 1, Jose Lartirigoyen (left),James Robertson, and Jordan Samuda; and the Scotia PrivateClient Group team of 2, 1, 3, respectively, Kurt Chin (third right),his brother Shane (second right), and Francisco Guiñazú.

The Sandals team — Paul Chin (3) (left), Rachel Turner (2)(second left), and John Byles (1) (third left) and the Audi team— Lesley Fong-Yee (1), Rory Vernon (2) (second right), and TroyBrennan (3) awaited the presentation exercise.

The Polo UnderThe Stars andScotia PrivateClient Grouppresentation table.

When Stars Align

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