The Owners of Zara Close the Door on Polo

Marta, the heiress, and her father Amancio, founder of Zara, at his club in northern Spain.

Through his daughter Marta, the emperor of fashion and one of the world's wealthiest individuals, Amancio Ortega, has made it clear that polo has no place in his equestrian strategy.

The founder of Inditex—the global giant behind Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear, Bershka, Oysho, Lefties, and Stradivarius—is famously private. He shuns interviews and is rarely seen at public events. Yet, he has one visible passion: his love for horses. It's a fervor he has passed on to his daughter, Marta Ortega, the heir and current chair of an empire with revenues exceeding $36 billion.

The Ortega family has long been devoted to the equestrian world. They are regulars at premier horse fairs and elite competitions like the Longines Global Champions Tour, supporting events across Europe, from Milan and Rotterdam to Gothenburg, Windsor, and Aachen.

Though citizens of the world, their roots remain in La Coruña (northern Spain), where a quarter-century ago they founded the Casas Novas equestrian center. Located in Arteixo—the same town that saw the birth of Zara in the 1970s—this 300,000-square-meter facility boasts jumping arenas, training grounds, stables, and diverse spaces for both indoor and outdoor events.

A long-time collaborator of the club, with a history stretching back to its early days, confirmed to POLOBIZ that while the establishment plans to build new arenas and tracks to expand its current 180-stall capacity, the possibility of developing polo fields is off the table. “Polo is not in the Ortegas' plans,” the source stated.

The primary reason is that Marta Ortega herself has no affinity for the ‘sport of kings,’ despite moving in the circles of Barcelona’s exclusive polo club. When asked if this stance could change in the near future, the source was unequivocal: “There is room to grow, but if they were to diversify their equestrian offerings, the Ortegas would lean more toward racehorses than polo.” It is worth noting the family already owns prized thoroughbred assets, including Dreamland, Elwikke, and Bobby.

The source also revealed that the family was once tempted to develop a massive real estate complex in the Algarve, southern Portugal. The project, which included a hotel, golf courses, a show jumping club, and polo fields with luxury residences, was ultimately scrapped due to “the country's bureaucratic limitations.” Instead, the focus has shifted to advancing other luxury hotel and residential projects.

Thanks to the Ortegas' steadfast support, the Galician destination is now firmly on the global equestrian map, to the point of hosting the European Jumping Championship—one of the most prestigious events on the international calendar. This summer marked its first time in Galicia and only its third in Spain, drawing riders from 20 countries.

To host an event of this magnitude, Casas Novas underwent a significant transformation: building new, high-quality temporary training tracks, grandstands, and a state-of-the-art video scoreboard area for the enhanced comfort of riders and spectators.

While a normal tournament sees an attendance of around 7,000, the European Championship aims to more than double that figure, attracting an international audience of 25%. Over 200 people work on the organization of each major event.

With a strong social vocation, Casas Novas was not conceived as just another Ortega empire business, but as “a social investment,” according to the center’s director, Lucía Dumont, in statements to the Spanish press. “It is not a business because it is not profitable. The investment ranges between $1.6 and $2.2 million annually, and revenue comes mainly from lessons, which cost just over $45 per month. All other events are free.”

Longines and NH Collection are among the major sponsors of the premier competitions. The club maintains 45 horses for lessons and has implemented a meticulous retirement plan for its animals, with specific areas dedicated to their care. This philosophy is completed by a circular economy strategy that includes self-sufficiency in hay, prioritization of local suppliers, comprehensive recycling, and the donation of manure to local farmers.