On the great characteristics of Polo Challenge and the Dominican Republic: “The weather is a big plus; it is perfect, not too hot, either. In some respects it is like being in Sotogrande; both places are beautiful, but sometimes it can get really hot in Spain. The temperature is just right here. The fields are in better condition this year, and if they keep up the work they are doing, then next year they will be even better. There are a lot of fields now that Victor added another one. The people are very friendly, the place is safe, there are good places to go out and eat, and the beaches are amazing, Punta Cana, Macaos – there are thousands of places to discover. Combine that all with polo and you have a magical place.”
On how his career changed when he joined Lechuza: “I was fortunate enough to have Victor invite me to play with him in 2009. I think there are only about three or four organisations of this magnitude right now. We have first class horses, and the organisation sorts everything out: the house, the car, everything. You only have to worry about playing polo. It is not easy to find an organisation like this one. Victor is a serious guy, he has a great family, and we spend a lot of time together. In sporting terms, if a horse gets injured, you have the best vet around. Being part of Lechuza really helped me grow as a player, it taught me how to manage my organisation, how to organise a team. Being part of such an incredible organisation teaches you a lot. I feel lucky to be able to play with him, and grateful that he continues to invite me over. One day it will be over, and I will feel nothing but gratitude to Victor.”
On what it means to be a 10-goaler: “When you are hired to play as a 10-goaler, you have several responsibilities. You have to show up well mounted, lead by example on and off the field, organise your team, put players together, which is tough. You have to take your job very seriously. I always try to put my best foot forward. Being 10-goals means that everyone is watching you.”
On his upcoming absence in the British Season: “I have been playing in the UK since 2003, so it is going to be weird not being there this year. I am going to spend June in Argentina, something I have not done since 1999, when I started travelling to play polo – almost 20 years.”
On also playing with Pelon in Sotogrande: “We had played together years ago with Loro Piana and we did well; we won the Queen’s Cup and the Gold Cup in the UK. We are very excited. It is a shame that the level went down to 20-goals because we had put together a great team with Josh Cork, a young English player. But we now have to see who will replace him. We are eager to get going and have high expectations. I think we have a team that could go very well.”
On having won the AACCP prize in the last two Argentine Open finals: “It is a great feeling to know that all the effort one does to put a good organisation together– the money that goes into it, the work the grooms do, the vets – is all worth it; regardless of the fact that in 2016 the mare was a loan from Ruso. Receiving that prize the day of the final, having the mare photographed and honoured, is amazing. I have been pretty well mounted and well organised these last years, so it is nice to get the recognition, for myself and for the grooms and vets who work everyday. It’s very satisfying to receive the prize with them that day.”
On his achievements in polo: “Polo gave me more than I could have ever imagined, and more than I deserve. To end up playing in a team such as the one I am playing in was beyond my wildest dreams. I feel very lucky and I am very grateful to all the people who have helped me along the way. This is thanks to my family. I know that this won’t last forever, so I try to enjoy it as much as I can. Perhaps I don’t realise everything that we are achieving right now, while I am in the moment.”
On the decision to continue with La Dolfina for three more years: “When we put the team together we never spoke about how long it would last, we just agreed to take everything on together. Then one day in Palermo, before we had even reached the semis, Milo came up to us and asked how we wanted to go on, and what our plans for the next couple of years were. That is when we decided to continue for three more years. It is really a way of setting a fixed objective, a way of saying that we are going to give it our all for the next three years. We want to make the most of it.”
On the possibility of putting a team together after La Dolfina: “I would have liked to play more with my brother and my cousin, which I was not really able to do. I really don’t know what I will do in three years time. It might be the time to slow down a bit and focus on something else. Perhaps not being part of such a top team where the priority is winning all the time, or maybe in three years we will go on and play a fourth – I really don’t know. I will be almost 40 by then, so I can’t say. There is still time to figure it out.”