by Maria Elena Paganini

ISABEL DE BORBON

–The sport of polo is considered to be a very masculine one. How did you get involved?!

–Are women welcomed and accepted in a polo team?!

Polo is a team sport, and in order to be accepted you have to try your best to support your team out on the polo field, then you will always be welcomed, regardless if you are a man or a woman!

– There aren’t many women playing polo in Spain or abroad, probably due to the rough nature of the sport?

Up to this day, there aren’t too many women playing polo, probably because it is considered a fairly rough and dangerous sport. The rather few women that play polo do so in mixed teams, though lately ladies teams and tournaments are rapidly gaining popularity.

– The sport of polo seams to be surrounded by a lot of glamour, but the reality of a Polista looks quite different, with hours of training, all the preparation before every tournament, the organization of putting a team together etc. What is your benefit of all this?

The benefit without a doubt, are those moments that you live on a polo field, difficult to put into words – the adrenalin, the agile fast horses, playing in a team and so much more that is hard to describe!

– If playing polo already needs a lot of preparation and organization, then organizing a event such as “TARIFA Beach Polo” must be even more challenging?!

After playing polo for quite some years now, and being a ‘gran aficionada’ of the sport of polo on and off the field, I found it a natural way of evolution to transmit my passion for polo to my friends, sponsors and aficionados. Beach Polo is a fairly new and fresh interpretation of the sport, which has been very well received among everyone participating.

– Adapting a sport that normally is played on large grass fields, to the beaches of Tarifa and next to the Atlantic Sea, must have been quite a challenge?!

Yes, indeed! Tarifa was my first choice of location, offering the perfect sand conditions for ambitious Beach polo. Though the logistics of organizing a polo tournament so close to the sea, is more complex, the outcome is very rewarding, as the proximity of being at short range to the action on a smaller polo field on sand, creates a great atmosphere and ambience for players and audience, making beach polo very popular around the globe.

–Possibly the famous lifestyle around polo makes the sport so attractive for the audience. What is your approach and success that people keep coming back for more beach polo?!

“TARIFA Beach Polo” is going into its third edition in 2016 and will go on growing. The success of the event is that polo players as well as supporters and sponsors are positively attracted by this more casual and more beach ambience orientated version of the sport, yet without losing the touch of glamour surrounding every polo event.

–What is the unique point of your beach polo event ?!

The high level of polo players and patrons participating, the great ambience on and off the field, the established ‘ After Polo Party’ and the ‘Asado de clausura’ with chill out atmosphere till late sunset and the spectacular Rif mountains of Africa as the perfect visual backdrop.

–Tell me about your new venture of beach polo?!

I am in full preparation of my upcoming event, the first edition of “MARBELLA Beach Polo” in 2016 and very exited to bring beach polo to the shores of the international city of Marbella!

–And last but not least – who is your most admired 10 goal polo player?! 

Without a doubt – Adolfo Cambiaso!