PL AYER PR OFILE
INTRODUCING
SANTIAGO
STIRLING
In a family of (ahem) sterling
polo players, young Uruguayan
Santiago (Santi) Stirling can hold
his own on a polo field.
Age: 23 | Handicap: 5 | Family: Son of David Stirling (who
was part of the winning team against South Africa in the
1989 BMW International Series), and younger brother
of Uruguayan sensation, 10-goaler David (Pelón) Stirling.
He also has three older sisters.
following day with the rest of
the team.
PHOTOGRAPH: PABLO RAMIREZ
WHEN MY FATHER CAME
TO SA for the 1989 tour, he
highlighted the generosity
and warmth received from
the South African people.
He was also astonished by
the spectacular scenery.
I FIRST LEARNT TO
RIDE when I was around
four or five years old.
Horses have been
in my life for as long as
I can remember.
greatest achievements
include graduating from
the Royal Agricultural
University in the UK and
having many friends from
different environments.
MY FATHER used to
manage a large polo club in
Sotogrande, Spain, so almost
every weekend and afternoon
after school I would go to
the club to ride and stick
and ball. And that’s where
it all started.
MY MOST SERIOUS INJURY
WAS when I broke my fibula
playing for the UAE Polo
Team in Dubai last year.
I LOVE POLO firstly because
I love the horses but I also
love the speed and intensity
of the game itself.
MY GREATEST
ACHIEVEMENTS on the field
was winning three Sotogrande
Gold Cups and reaching the
Queens and Gold Cup finals
in the UK. Off the field my
ONE OF THE NICE THINGS
about polo is that each day
is never ordinary. During the
polo season I usually wake up
at around 8am and head
to the stables. There I make
sure that all the ponies are
well and exercise any that
need it. Then I do some fitness
training for one hour and go
home. In the afternoon I return
to the yard and very often have
a game or practise chukkas.
Later in the evening we get
together and organise the
A POLO-PLAYING FAMILY,
my grandfather reached 10
goals in Uruguay and my
brother ‘Pelón’ is currently
a 10-goal player. My cousin
Alejo jn Taranco is also a
professional polo player who
travels a lot following the polo
circuit. My father reached
a handicap of 7 but then
stopped playing as he had
to spend a lot of time
managing a page polo
club in Sotogrande, Spain.
MY BROTHER AND I have
played against each other
many times and also on the
same team, but there has never
been any strong rivalry as we
have a great relationship. He
helps me a lot with horses and
gives me plenty of advice.
MY EXPECTATIONS FOR
THIS TOUR are first of all, as
a team, to make our country
proud and also to show
everyone how polo in Uruguay
is improving – hopefully it
will be our first of many tours
around the globe. Secondly,
we’re looking forward to
having a great time in South
Africa and meeting many
new people.
THE BEST ADVICE I’ve
received is to pursue my
dreams, whatever they
may be, and to work hard
to reach them.
I’LL BE PLAYING POLO FOR
as long as my body allows
me to!
FARMING AND HORSE
BREEDING are also my
passions so I’d like to be
involved with both activities
after I’m done playing polo.
MY ADVICE FOR
YOUNGSTERS just starting
out is to have fun and make
friends because that is what
it’s all about. I’d also advise
them to stay humble and work
hard to reach their targets
in polo and life, as many
opportunities arise from hard
work and dedication. ■
BMW INTERNATIONAL POLO
69