Chatting on the Polo Side Lines with Angie Pedreira

I had the pleasure of catching up with Angie Pedreira, Nico Pieres’s other half, and their adorable son Felix, on the polo sidelines and we had a good chat about the world of Angie.

*For those of you who don’t know who Nico Pieres is (in case you have been living under a rock with no polo info whatsoever). He is the youngest of the Pieres clan, the 10 goal prodigies. Nico was recently raised to a 10 goal handicap after his amazing performance in the Palermo Open (the most important and prestigious tournament in the world). He is now here in Dubai playing for the Julius Baer by Habtoor Polo team and will be playing the final of the Julius Baer Gold Cup this friday at Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club. His job as a top professional polo player takes him all over the world and his little clan, Angie and Felix come along every step of the way.

Tell us a bit about yourself: Where are you from, siblings, life growing up,
modelling.

I’m from Argentina. I lived all my life in Pilar, the countryside near Buenos Aires, with my parents and my eldest sister Azul. I went to a school there where I met Nico when we were just 14 years old. When I finished school, I started studying advertisement in the Universidad de Palermo, and at the same time, I worked as a model. I enjoyed the work while I was in university because both were compatible and I could manage my hours and days of work. I also like the travel opportunities that the modelling life brings. I worked in London for 3 months while Nico was playing polo there, so that was great! The same year I graduated we got married. I left my modelling career behind because I wasn’t enjoying it anymore, I think it was a fun and good job, but just for a while.

About the C8 polo magazine: what was your inspiration to start it, what keeps you motivated in regards to the magazine?
When I married Nico I realised that if I wanted to follow him around the world it would be really difficult to have a job for myself. We do not stay in one country more that 3 or 4 months in a row. I needed to do something for myself, so the idea of having a magazine (about the social polo life) came to me. I’m inside the polo world, around polo players all year long. When we were starting with C8 we realised that there were lots of polo magazines showing the players, the horses, the game, but none of them show the social part of the polo. The person behind the ‘polo player’, their wives, their hobbies and what happens around the polo field. That’s what we try to show and what I think makes C8 different from the other magazines, we make photo shoots and productions with the polo players and ask them questions about their lives, their likes, their thoughts and not about the game or their horses.

Angie and Nico, together since 14 years old. Photo courtesy of Angie Pedreira

Tell us about the #PoloWifeLife, what are the pros and cons? 
The life of a polo wife is not as glamorous as people think. At least not mine, I consider my life quite normal. Maybe the fact that we are travelling all the year around the world is interesting and unusual. Moving a lot can be difficult at times, and people often ask how we manage to make ‘a real home’ in every place that we go. I just get used to it; I like it, I now feel that it would be a bit boring to stay in one place the whole year. For sure the cons are leaving behind family and friends, and missing things such as weddings or birthdays with them, but at least we are always going back to Argentina from September until January and we have the best time there. The pros, I think having the opportunity to travel and get to know different cultures, different people, and being together with my husband. We spend a lot of time the three of us together because Nico’s job allows us to be around, go to the barn, to the games, we have lunch together most days, which I think is not common in people who work in an office for example.

Polo is a very dangerous sport, how do you keep your nerves down when he is playing? How do you support him in his career? (moral support, advice, care etc.)
I know polo is a very dangerous sport, I don’t like that. Nico already had some hard falls a few times, that’s why I don’t enjoy watching the games, I try to go to every game to support him and be there, but I prefer to be on the sidelines talking and drinking mate instead of watching it. I believe the best way to support him in his career is being with him, travelling together. I think it is really important for a professional polo player to have his family around. I also try that the days before an important game, a semi-final or final, he eats what he likes and is good for him, the night before I try to have the house quiet but with a baby that is difficult. About the advice, I can’t help him there, because I don’t understand much about polo so I prefer not to talk about it.

Angie and baby Felix enjoying a day at the beach. Photo courtesy of Angie Pedreira

About motherhood: Felix is now 10 months right? Tell us some of the
highlights and hardships of motherhood. 
Felix is now 11 months, I think being a mother is the most amazing thing that can happen to a woman. I also think that it is a great job but also a hard one. The responsibility of having a little guy that depends on you is huge, for sure after being a mother your interests and priorities change. Also your schedules and time changes, the baby is always interrupting, hanging from my legs haha.
The thing that I found harder of motherhood was the lack of sleep in the firsts months of the baby, then everything gets better, I also find really hard the pressure of trying to do everything right for him to be a happy and a good kid.

Felix means happy, which seems to be very true regarding this little guy, how did you choose that name? Are you planning on more children?
Felix means happiness, that’s why I love the name, and it fits perfect with him, he is always smiling and in a good mood, everything seems to be funny to him. Choosing the name was hard, I didn’t agree with Nico in any name so we didn’t pay much attention to that during my pregnancy, we decided whilst I was in labour! Nico knew I liked the name Felix so he looked at me and told me we should name him Felix, everyone was outside wondering which name we will choose because we have no idea until that day.
For sure I would love to have more children, I think we want two more and maybe 3 more, we will see, now is the moment of enjoying this little one, but I think there is nothing better than having siblings.

#PoloLife and motherhood combined: how is it travelling around the world for polo with a baby? What are your thoughts on when he grows up, home-schooling or travel less?
This way of life got harder when Felix came to our lives, at 9 months and had lived in 6 different countries! I think he just got used to it since the moment he was born, he was born in Palm Beach, Florida, and when he was only 20 days old we went back to Argentina for just 10 days and then to England, and then we never stopped, I believe that if the parents are happy, relaxed and close to him he will be fine. When we arrived here in Dubai I was scared because everyone told me how hard the jet lag was for babies, the time difference with Argentina is 7 hours, but he never noticed it, so it was great! When he grows up I really don’t have it that clear but I think home schooling, or going to different schools in every country we go to will be the best option. I prefer that than being based in Argentina and being apart from Nico, we like to be together the most that we can. For me, that is the most important, the family to be together.

Angie, Nico and Felix. Photo courtesy of Angie Pedreira

Do you ride or play polo?
No, I once tried to stick and ball and I am horrible at it, hahaha

What is your earliest polo memory?
In my school, (in Pilar which is one of the biggest centrals of polo,) there were always polo tournaments, the students were the ones playing. Once a year there was the intercollegiate tournament, where different schools competed and the students travelled to Palermo to support our team.

Which is your favourite place to be? Apart from Argentina.
The countries that we visit because of polo are all great and too different from each other, so I can’t choose one over the others. After Argentina for sure, my favourite place to be is Punta del Este, Uruguay, My parents have a house there, and I have been there every summer for as long as I remember, I love it, the beaches, the food, the people, everything.

Beach, city or countryside?
Beach for a short stay. My house I prefer the countryside.

If someone gave you a private jet to fly around the world, who would you take with you?
Nico, Felix, my parents, my sister, her husband and my niece, some friends and their partners, a good chef, wait, how big is the jet??

#PoloStyle: what is your preferred outfit for the polo sidelines?
I love to be comfortable, so probably jeans, nice shoes, t-shirt, a leather jacket and sunglasses.

Polo picnic or bubbly brunch?
Polo picnic

High heels or flat sandals for polo?
100% flat sandals

Dress or Jeans?
Jeans, sometimes dresses it depends on the occasion, but if I am in doubt I were jeans

Words of advice for women out there?
Try to fall in love with yourself, with the good things and the bad ones, don’t try to be perfect, just be real. And don’t miss the opportunity of being a mother.

Angie and Felix at the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Photo courtesy of Angie Pedreira

Thank you, Angie, for giving us a little insight on your life. The #PoloLife is truly a diverse and wonderful one.