spotlight || back page
Role Model World-renowned polo player and Ralph Lauren model Nacho Figueras talks polo, family and his romance with Delfina Blaquier. | by JACKIE MORGAN
Artful Living: What makes polo one of the world’s most unique sports? Nacho Figueras: I think polo is very unique for different reasons. I think that the combination of man and the horse is one of the main factors. I love horses, and I spend a lot of time with them, as all polo players do. Also, polo is a very old sport. It has a lot of tradition. It involves a great relationship not only with a horse but also with your teammates. It has speed, it has danger, it has all of the ingredients to be exciting for both spectators and for players. AL: You grew up in beautiful Buenos Aires. How did your love for polo begin? NF: Argentina is a country where horses are not a rare commodity. Horses have been part of our lives, and I think that’s one of the reasons why polo became so popular here. People always say that polo is such a rare thing, and I always [respond] that it all depends on where you were born. If you were born in Hawaii, most likely you will surf. If you were born in Austria, you will ski. If you were born in Argentina, you may play polo. I was very lucky to be born here and learn to love the horse when I was very young. AL: Many are unaware of the world of polo and the equestrian lifestyle, but you are known for helping to change this. What is the driving force behind these efforts? NF: I think that polo is a sport that has a lot to offer. It’s a sport that people are not really familiar with. They feel like polo is a little bit elitist and unreachable. I think differently. I think that polo is very inclusive. It’s something that you do with your kids, with men, [with] women and in different countries. In my case, polo has been the thing that has opened the world for me. Polo is what allows a regular guy like me from Argentina to be able to play polo with the Prince of England while helping orphan kids in Africa. I see polo as a fun thing to do with your friends. I play polo with my son, I play polo with my father. I would love for everyone in the
166 Artful Living
| Summer 2011
Artful-LivingMag.com
world to see polo that way and not as a sport where you have to belong to some club and dress a certain way. I don’t want them to feel like they are not invited. AL: Which tournament, if you had to pick just one, has been your favorite to participate in and why? NF: I had this dream and vision of bringing polo to New York the way it used to be in the beginning of the century, when [it] was a much more popular sport and thousands of people would go to games. It started with the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic in 2008, bringing polo back to Governors Island after 70 years. Last year, the third year, really proved to me that what I am trying to achieve — to put polo into people’s minds — is not such a crazy idea. That was a very important day in my polo life, being able to prove that while helping Prince Harry’s charity, [Sentebale]. AL: You have played with and against Prince Harry many times. Are the two of you close friends? NF: No, I wouldn’t call myself a close friend. I have played with him several times in the past, and I always say that it is an honor for me to be able to be an ambassador for his charity, to be able to help him raise money for kids in need. That’s how I see the relationship: as two guys who are there for a much more important reason. He really cares about these things, so it’s an honor for me to help him. AL: This year you cohosted the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic. Can you tell us a bit about it? NF: This year [Prince Harry] is not able to attend. It’s a different cause this year: The charity that we are raising money for is Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti. Same purpose — trying to bring people together in New York who enjoy polo — but for a different cause. AL: You have been a face of Ralph Lauren for many years. How has your personal style evolved? NF: I grew up admiring the brand. Especially playing polo as a little kid