Billy Slater and Nacho Figueras surf ahead of Magic Millions Polo event
One is a rugby league legend and the other is an international polo star and the other is a rugby league legend. After meeting at the Magic Millions Polo even last year, Billy Slater and Argentinian Nacho Figueras have reconnected at this year’s event.
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An unlikely surfing bro-mance between NRL legend Billy Slater and Argentinian polo star Nacho Figueras was rudely interrupted by a shark on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Slater and Figueras struck up a friendship at the Magic Millions Polo event last year and have kept in touch ahead of a return to the polo field on Sunday.
They hit the surf early on Saturday morning only for Nacho’s model wife Delfina Blaquier to come sprinting into the water to tell them the shark alarm had gone off.
“Usually the only sharks I meet are in the stands at the polo,” joked Nacho afterwards.
“I don’t know, I have met a few on the polo field too,” added his wife.
There will not be any circling at the polo today with celebrity ambassadors including the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall, Winx rider Hugh Bowman and the world’s top jockey Frankie Dettori all rattling collection tins for bushfire victims and firefighters.
Slater, who retired from NRL in 2018, and wife Nicole have both been riding since they met at pony club as children and were happy to take some last minute tips from Nacho, who travels the world playing polo.
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But in the surf it was Slater who took the lead.
“This is not my natural environment,” Nacho said.
“I am out of my comfort zone but I will give it a go.”
He has come over with children Aurora, 15, Artemio, 10, and Alba, 6, who have struck up an instant friendship with the Slater’s children, Tyla, 11, and Jake, 9. The couples have taken adjoining beachfront apartments.
“No sooner do we go inside than the kids are asking when we can go back out and see them again,” laughed Nicole.
And the husbands are no different.
“The banter between those two is absolutely hilarious,” she said.
“They are just good people,” Slater said.
“I would love to get out to Argentina to visit their farm and get them over to our new place in Victoria.”
After the polo the Slater’s, who are now breeding thoroughbreds, will be attending the Magic Millions yearling sales.
“We don’t have a horse for sale this year but I’m keen to see what people are after,” he said.
The week long carnival concludes with a $10 million race day on Saturday. In the meantime the bro-mance continues.
“He is just a really good guy,” Nacho said.
“And he is a great father and I really like that.”