Argentine Polo Open

November 28, 2007

Pictures by Brett O'Callaghan

Last weekend the championship continued both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday (zone A) Chapa One Toyota defeated La Alegr'a Park Hyatt by 14-10.

Teams:
Chapa One Toyota : Juan Mart'n Nero 9, Bautista Heguy 10, Horacio Heguy 7, Marcos Heguy 10. Total 36

Alegr'a Park Hyatt : Jack Baillieu 7, Frederick Mannix 7, Francisco Bensadon 8, Luke Tomlinson 7. Total 29

Progression Chapa One : 2-1, 5-3, 5-3, 7-4, 8-6, 9-7, 11-8 y 14-10.

Referees: Esteban Ferrari y Marcelo Lopez Vargas.
Arbiter: Juan J. D'az Alberdi.

The central match At field number 1 La Dolfina faced El Para'so and won by 15-14.

Teams:
La Dolfina JaegerLeCoultre : Adolfo Cambiaso 10, Lucas Monteverde 9, Mariano Aguerre 10, Bartolom Castagnola 10. Total 39.

El Para'so Polo Team : Agust'n Merlos 10, Ignacio Toccalino 6, Juan Ignacio Merlos 9 y Francisco de Narvez 9. Total 34

Progression La Dolfina : 1-2, 3-5, 6-5, 8-7, 9-8, 12-10, 14-11 y 15-14.

Referees: Mat'as Baibiene y Mart'n Haurie.
Arbiter: Juan Jos D'az Alberdi.

The Match

Generally when one writes about a match one first talks about the virtues of the winner. This time we will do the opposite. El Paraiso played this Open without a player of great weight: Sebastian Merlos.

His substitute I. Toccalino a 6 goal player did excellently not only because he marked very solid players like the ones who integrate La Dolfina but also because of his outstanding attack tactics. During the first two chukkers El Paraiso dominated its rival but the third one was fatal because its opponent played the best ponies and the former lost that period partiallv 3-0.

Later, El Paraiso improved its strategy but always below in the scoreboard until in the sixth chukker Juan I. Merlos, the brain of the team fell and was replaced by Agustin Garcia Grossi (6 goals).

Although he was making his first appearance in the Open he performed his job brilliantly. A.Merlos and F. de Narvaez played very well specially the latter who had the most notable performance of the season thanks to his solid defense and dangerous attacks.

Why were they defeated then? Because their rivals were twice Argentine champions who only needed the third and sixth chukkers to conquer victory. Monteverde was the best player, Aguerre was the fighter, Cambiaso although his strength declined because of his injury was present and scored two effective goals and Castagnola was not at his best that day. We consider they used the wrong strategy, it would have been better to play the four together with their usual great speed specially taking into account their STAR problem. In that way they would have beaten the modest Paraiso with 34 goals until the sixth chukker and with 32 during the rest of the match, which used the tactics they should always put into practise. They won making the minimum difference cornered in the last chukker losing it 3-1.

Sunday (zone B)

This date started with the tight victory of Indios Chapaleufu II against Santa Maria de Lobos by 14-12.

Pite Merlos

Teams:
Indios Chapaleufe II Culœ Culœ : Alberto Heguy (h), Ignacio Heguy 9, Milo Fern‡ndez Araujo 9 y Eduardo Heguy 9. Total 36.

Santa Mar'a de Lobos Casablanca : Guillermo Caset (h) 7, Gerardo Collardin 7, Pablo Jauretche 8, Jaime G. Huidobro 8. Total 29.

Progression Indios Chapaleufe II :1-4, 2-4, 5-5, 8-5, 9-9, 11-11, 12-12 y 14-12. Referees: Federico Martelli y Gonzalo Bunge.
Arbiter: Mat'as Baibiene.

On the other hand Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra won by overcoming La Aguada Arelauquen by 18-11.

Teams:
Ellerstina Etiqueta Negra : Pablo Mac Donough 9, Gonzalo Pieres (h) 10, Facundo Pieres 10, Mat'as Mac Donough 9. Total 38

La Aguada Arelauquen : Javier Novillo Astrada 9, Eduardo Novillo Astrada 9, Miguel Novillo Astrada 10, Ignacio Novillo Astrada 10. Total 38.

Progresion Ellerstina : 1-1, 3-3, 7-5, 9-6, 12-6, 15-7, 16-8 y 18-11.

Referees: Augusto Gomez Romero y Daniel Boudou. Arbiter: Federico Martelli.

The Match

Ellerstina offered areal polo exhibition diring the whole match accompanied by La Aguada only until the chuukker 3. From then onwards the match was under the winner" control. Ellerstina, this young tam played as polo must really be played: anticipating shots, with great speed not only of the ponies but mainly of their minds When they hit the ball it was to send it to a well placed companion, when they didn"t it was to turn backwards before an opponent had the ball in order to predict the shot he would make. As their performance was one of a perfect team, they all shone along the event. Regarding the losers, Miguel stood out because of his good quality and mild play.

Ellerstina Polo Club Gold Cup

The Cup finished with a southamerican confrontation where a team captained by Camilo Bautista, Las Monjitas, defeated Jose Kalil, So Jose, 13-10. The winner of the Subsidiary Alvear Palace Hotel was Technomarine beating Villa Real 14-12.

Victorious teams: Las Monjitas : Camilo Bautista 0, Eduardo Novillo Astrada 9, Alejandro D'az Alberdi 8 y Juan Zavaleta 5. So Jos : Lerin Zubiaurre 4, Jos C. Kalil 4, David Stirling (h) 7 y Rodrigo Andrade 8.

Technomarine: Franck Dubarry 0, Pablo y Mat'as Mac Donough 9 y Santiago Laborde 4. Villa Real: Roberto Villa Real (h) 0, Hilario Ulloa 6, Agust'n Merlos 10 y Salvador Ulloa 6.