Ignacio Novillo Astrada

Biography

Ignacio "Nacho" Novillo Astrada is one of the two distinguished Novillo Astrada brothers who have carried their family name to the pinnacle of Argentine and international polo, earning a 9-goal handicap and cementing his place among the best players of his generation. Where his brother Eduardo excelled as a number one, Nacho built his reputation as a specialist in the number two position — a role requiring exceptional combination play, tactical reading, and the ability to transition seamlessly between attack and defence. Born into one of Argentina's great polo dynasties, the Novillo Astrada family has been contributing to Argentine polo for three generations, producing multiple professionals across the brothers' generation and into the next. Nacho played for Ellerstina during some of the team's most competitive Palermo campaigns, partnering some of the world's greatest players including Gonzalo Pieres and other Ellerstina principals. On the international circuit, Nacho has competed in England's high-goal season at Cowdray Park and Guards Polo Club, in the USA, France, and across the Gulf circuit. He is widely respected for his horsemanship — a hallmark of the Novillo Astrada family, who maintain their own breeding operation in the Pampas — and for the quiet authority with which he conducts himself in even the most pressurised matches. His career has intersected with multiple generations of Argentine polo greats, and he continues to be a sought-after professional on the international patron circuit.

Clubs & Teams