What makes polo one of the world’s most unique sports?
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.
You grew up in beautiful Buenos Aires. How did your love for polo begin?
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.
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?
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 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.
Which tournament, if you had to pick just one, has been your favorite to participate in and why?
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].
You have played with and against Prince Harry many times. Are the two of you close friends?
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.
This year you cohosted the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic. Can you tell us a bit about it?
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.
You have been a face of Ralph Lauren for many years. How has your personal style evolved?
I grew up admiring the brand. Especially playing polo as a little kid I grew up loving to wear that shirt with the little polo player. So it’s an honor for me, 20 years later, to be able to become the face of the brand.
I have learned a lot from spending time with Ralph and with his team. I always enjoy dressing up and wearing suits for the right reasons. It’s something that I feel very comfortable with, and I think that’s the reason why this relationship has lasted for so long.
Ralph Lauren Romance, one of Ralph’s most adored fragrances for women, has celebrated real-life romantic couples since its launch in 1998. You and your wife, Delfina, were chosen as the face of the fragrance this year. What has this experience been like for you and your family?
I have been the face of the world of polo fragrances for a few years now. Romance is what I was missing. I always identified with the brand, but my family — which is the most important thing in my life — was something that was missing, to be able to show who I really am.
When Ralph told us that Delfina and I would be the couple that he felt represented the Romance brand, the way he saw romance, [it was] an honor because I admire him a lot. Coming from someone like him who really understands what family means and having such great kids and a great married life, it’s an honor that he saw in us a real expression of what he believes is a true romance.
You and Delfina have three beautiful children. Do you think they will fall in love with the game as you have?
They are very exposed to it. My son who is 11 years old has been playing polo for a few years now, and he is getting more and more excited about [it]. Obviously I would love for him to become a polo player if he wants to. I always say that what I really want for my children is to have happiness and to grow up being who they feel and who they really want to be.
If it has something to do with polo, wonderful, because it’s something that I love and I think it’s something that we enjoy and that we share, so most likely they will be very associated with it. But it is not a must. They can do whatever they feel, whatever their heart tells them.
What is the most important thing the game of polo has taught you?
I think that polo is a sport that teaches you a lot of responsibility. In polo, it’s the horse. A horse really teaches you responsibility; you cannot just not take care of your horse. When you are a polo player and have so much connection with your horses, you learn not only to take care of yourself, but of someone else. By it being a team sport, you learn about friendship, partnership, sportsmanship and team connection. Also polo is a very traditional sport that says a lot about camaraderie. And that winning is not everything. It really focuses on a lot of things that are important. I think that polo is a great sport, and I would love for my children, especially my boys, to be connected.
