Nic Roldan
A Driving Force On And Off The Field
TOP POLO PLAYER HELPS SPEARHEAD POLOGEAR’S REBRANDING Story by Kendall Bierer • Photos by Juan Lamarca
On the field, 8-goal polo player Nic Roldan is a powerhouse of innate ability. With natural talent racing through his veins, he has dedicated his life to the sport and its betterment for both horse and rider, as well as to helping people off the field. After winning the U.S. Open Polo Championship in 1998 with team Escue, he continued on to compete worldwide, but he calls Wellington home. He currently plays for Grand Champions Polo Club on the Audi team. The fame he has earned hasn’t affected his charitable involvement. As Wellington-based JustWorld International’s first polo ambassador, Roldan has been working with the organization to spread the word and make a difference for impoverished children across the globe. It was through his role with PoloGear that Roldan was introduced to JustWorld’s founder, Jessica Newman. The organization has been a catalyst, promoting philanthropy in the horseshow world. JustWorld finances life-changing nutrition, health and hygiene education, as well as leadership and cultural development programs, in Cambodia, Honduras, Guatemala and Colombia. When Roldan and Newman met, the organization did not have polo representatives, but its mission spoke to him, so he jumped on board. “It’s my second year as an ambassador, and it has been a great opportunity to be a part of such a committed and passionate organization,” Roldan said. “It opens up your eyes to the things you usually don’t see.” As part of the organization, he has helped in its annual gala, taking to the stage to auction off polo lessons and dinner with teammates Brandon Phillips and Kris Kampsen, raising more than $25,000 to further JustWorld’s mission. As a JustWorld ambassador, Roldan has been able to use his talents and career to create a larger awareness about the organization. 28
May 2014 |wellington the magazine| 10th Anniversary
He has been able to expand the nonprofit into the equine community and share its mission with more people. His work with PoloGear has also been beneficial, as the company works hand in hand with JustWorld. In the 1990s, PoloGear was unrivaled as the face of equestrian apparel for polo. When founder Gary Fellers suffered from a lifethreatening polo injury in 2003, he had to take nearly seven years to focus on his health and recovery, but the company has returned to the equestrian scene with a new vitality, finding its niche across all disciplines, with Roldan spearheading its rebranding. “I work with PoloGear as much as possible, trying to rebrand the company, bringing in new clothing lines, integrating new technologies into equipment and developing a more modern feel,” he explained. The Verhan Nic Roldan Elite Free Shoulder Saddle became the start of an empire. Roldan fueled the desire for a saddle that would alleviate pressure from the horse’s shoulders, working alongside Argentinian veterinarian and chiropractor Carlos Cortelezzi, as well as veterinarians, saddle makers and equestrians Joe and Kelly Fink, to design the Free Shoulder technology. “Coming up with this idea has helped a lot,” Roldan said of the saddle. “It is a more expensive saddle, but it is going to last longer and the horses are going to be happier. It has taken time for people to understand its importance, but it has been doing well and its popularity is only growing.” The Free Shoulder Saddle technology has helped horses avoid the risk of bursitis, chiropractic misalignment, inversion and atrophy of the top line muscles, not to mention lower-