Don Marcos Uranga (1936-2021)

La Polo mourns the demise of founder and first president of the Federation of International Polo (FIP), Marcos Uranga. He made great contributions to the world of polo, among them being the consolidation of different associations and federations, gathering over 70 countries under FIP. The legend left for heavenly abode on April 8, 2021. Uranga was born in 1936, in Buenos Aires, the son of Carlos Uranga and Susana Rey. He studied at Belgrano Day School, a bilingual English traditional school in the neighborhood of Belgrano, Buenos Aires. His interest in rugby broadened his vision in sports. He started playing polo as a family sport, was taught by his father, and later he became the captain of the Jockey Club team. Uranga was President of the Asociacion Argentina de Polo from 1983 to 1987 and founded FIP in 1982, alongside other luminaries such as Don Alfonso Rosas, Camilo Aldao, Eduardo Huergo, Glen Holden and many others keen to improve international polo. He served as FIP’s President until 1997 and alongside Glen Holden and was the creator of the FIP World Polo Championship He married Sivilia Rueda, and was father of seven children, Valeria, Marcos (h), Delfin, Paula, Diego, Juan and Mariano, and grandfather to over 20 grandchildren. He won the first World Championship of polo clubs. Uranga was an expert on agriculture and rural matters too. He was the director of the Banco de la Nación Argentina (Argentina’s National Bank), and occupied top positions in the Sociedad Rural Argentina (Argentine Rural Society).