Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras is one of the most well-known polo players in the world. On the field he is ranked among the top 100 polo players in the world and off the field he has been the familiar face of Ralph Lauren’s Black Label line since 2005, and was recently chosen to represent the entire line of Polo fragrances. However, with humble beginnings in Argentina and an incredible drive, Nacho is hoping to help change the culture in the sport of polo and be more than just a pretty face.
As the eldest of three children born in Buenos Aires in 1977 to an agriculturist father and a homemaker mother, Nacho started playing polo at age 8. He went to school in Buenos Aires until he was about 13 because his parents expressed a desire for him to attend an English school. But, at the young age of 14, Nacho knew that he really wanted to pursue polo as more than just an extracurricular activity and asked his parents if he could go live on a farm outside the city so he could concentrate on his true passion. After much consideration, his parents recognized his talents and agreed under the condition that his school duties would not deteriorate.
It proved to be a sound decision when Nacho got his first opportunity to play as a professional with friend Ignacio Alvarez in Paris at the age of seventeen. From 1994 to 1996 Nacho played professionally in France, during which time he managed to found a polo team and club in his native Argentina.
Then, in 1997, Nacho came to the United States to play with Columbus developer and polo patron John Flournoy for a year. This brought about an interesting change for Nacho and marked the beginning of his education in American culture.
He reflects on his time in the South as a fond memory and an occasion when he was able to see the real extent of American culture away from the Hamptons and New York City.
When we approached long time friend and Columbus native, John Flournoy, to discuss his relationship with Nacho, he did not hesitate to reflect on some of the memories from Nacho’s initial arrival to the united States.
Nacho came to know Mr. Flournoy through a reference from a friend and previous team member of Mr. Flournoy’s team in Columbus, Pipo Panello. Pipo worked for Mr. Flournoy for about eight years before he semi-retired back to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“When Nacho arrived here I think it was probably his first trip away from home, as his mother called my house every other week checking up on him. Meanwhile he was living at our Whisperwood apartment and lounging around our pool area; driving the female management staff into total distraction,” said Mr. Flournoy in response to Nacho’s early arrival in Columbus, Georgia.
After his departure from Columbus at the end of the polo season, Nacho took a job in New York on Long Island when one of Ralph Lauren’s staff saw him and suggested that he model for them. He was an immediate hit with the Ralph Lauren market clientele and continues to model for them to this day.
Mr. Flournoy expressed his keenness to Nacho’s demeanor and attributed his kind attitude to his roots growing up in a nice Argentine family. He feels Nacho’s latest and biggest contribution to the game of polo was the organization of the British vs. American polo teams in New York with Prince William playing on the British team.
Nacho and Mr. Flournoy continue their special relationship that started over ten years ago, “from time to time he picks up the phone and checks in with me just to see how Page, my wife, Mason Lampton, my brother-in-law and Jake Flournoy, my son are all doing” says Mr. Flournoy.
As reflected by Mr. Flournoy, some of Nacho’s greatest contributions and future legacies may not even be on the field of polo by the time he steps out of the spotlight. He is currently trying to change the culture and stigma of polo to be more inclusive and promote the connection of athletes and fans from all over the world.
Now living his dream, Figueras has made what he calls one of his “life missions” to promote polo and spread his enthusiasm for the sport to audiences around the world. That starts, he says, with erasing the stigma that it is somehow stuffy and only for the well-to-do.
In a recent event he helped put together, the Manhattan Polo Classic, the idea was to show a more comprehensive side of the sport to the people of New York, where polo was once very popular, by bringing the match closer to the city and getting rid of all the barriers.
Over 5,000 people attended the match, screaming and yelling and having a good time, and portraying the type of environment needed to cross boundaries and invite more people into the world of polo.
Over 5,000 people attended the match, screaming and yelling and having a good time, and portraying the type of environment needed to cross boundaries and invite more people into the world of polo.
He’d like to see people think of polo as a family-friendly Saturday-afternoon activity in the way that they would a baseball or football game. It was that way back in the 1920s and ’30s, he says, but real estate costs eventually pushed matches out of cities and into more spacious suburbia, which happened to often be more upscale communities.
Figueras says he’s growing more comfortable moving among the celebrity set, doing photo shoots and being recognized on the street, but even his fashion/modeling gig as the face of the Ralph Lauren Fragrances’ World of Polo and Lauren’s Black Label clothing collection is linked to his passion for the horses.
Some of Nacho’s interests away from the field and modeling include spending time with his family; wife Delfina Blaquier, 27, a photographer and former model, and their two children, son Hilario and daughter Aurora. He is an avid soccer fan, especially during the World Cup. And on his iPod you will find all kinds of different music including; the Rolling Stones, Coldplay and even classical music that he prefers sometimes when he’s driving. Svm
JACK OF ALL TRADES:
Nacho was introduced to the world of high fashion, when he met Bruce Weber at a dinner party in the Hamptons. His ruggedly handsome features, photographed by Bruce Weber, has since become a part of international ad campaigns for Ralph Lauren, including Polo, Purple Label, Black Label, RLX, and Polo Black.
With the amount of success in modeling, Nacho does not want to be far from the field of polo. His plan is to fit in the modeling when he can and when it interests him (and when he can stand the ribbing of his friends).
