About Polo Pasión Photography
My name is Andrea Roberts, also known as Andreita by my Argentinean friends. Below are a few details about myself, don't worry, it won't take long!!
After leaving Christ College in S. Wales, the talk was all about which University one would be going to, leaving me feeling somewhat uncomfortable, considering I had already decided on what I was going to do. I became Assistant Matron to the boys of St. George's School, Windsor Castle. Here, I was given various duties to do throughout the running of the day and the evening, which was somewhat of a task at times!! Some of my duties were ironing 30 school shirts a day, luckily I was able to do this sitting down. My time at St. George's was a fun time, from helping out where I could, to going up to St. George's Chapel for Evensong, which I still miss today.
Then came the time to renew my contract. I had to decide whether I would stay working for another year or go and seek another adventure somewhere else. Within the same week, I was asked if I would like a job looking after 6 Polo Ponies in Germany. It was a tough decision as I loved horses (having had 2 of my own), but I also adored working at St. George's School, where the staff and boys were great fun to be with. I had made my mind up. I was to leave for Germany!
It was here in Germany that I began my first ever job working with polo ponies. Polo, a highly competitive sport, was all very new to me. I had 6 polo ponies with 2 owners. I learnt as I went along really, with the aid of my father at times especially when it came to worming them.
There was an instance that I will never forget. Some horses can be very intelligent when they know you are holding a wormer in your hand. 'I'll hold her head, you just aim and fire, my father instructed'. Just as I was thinking what a good job I had done getting the wormer in the right direction, my father let go of the pony's head..oh no, to my horror with instantaneous laughter, the wormer hadn't gone down the throat of my pony, but all over my father!!! hahaha… it still makes me laugh to this day.
The Polo Season was running smoothly. I was taught how to school by an Argentine called Carlito Velazquez. Thinking I was getting on ok, there was a frantic moment at a polo match where I was asked 'pass me that Gag please Andrea', oh dear, I hadn't a clue what a Gag was until it was pointed out to me!! Oh well, you learn from your mistakes! We played polo in various places in Germany, for example, the Berlin Olympic Stadium, Munich and Hamburg. Here I met a gentleman in the Scot's Guards called Jamie Hayward, who had told me how wonderful Polo was in Windsor.
This lead to my move to Flemish Farm in the wonderful setting of Windsor Great Park. I worked for the Military Polo Players for roughly 13 years. Starting back in Windsor again made me realise how small the world is. After a few Polo Seasons, I became Head Girl, then Manager.
The English Summer Polo Season on grass roughly goes from March through to September. In the Winter Season, I then found myself involved in Arena Polo and enjoying doing film work. I then discovered Winter polo abroad. This has took me to various luxurious places such as Klosters and St.Moritz in Switzerland and Cortina in Italy. Cortina and Klosters were places of great significance to me as I drove an articulated lorry carrying 16 horses. It was my first ever international trip. I drove with a more experienced driver, but I still wonder how I did it!
For many years I have been looking after lovely polo ponies, which brings me to today - still caring for polo ponies, loving being a mummy and being a personal assistant, which still enables me to take a few photos, surrounded by wonderful friends and having lots of fun.