Autumn 2021

THE POLO GRAND SLAM

When Nicolas Pieres won the British Gold Cup this year, he completed what Cucho Garrahan thinks is the Grand Slam of polo, with the following tournaments: the Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo Opens, the American Gold Cup and US Open, and the Queen’s and Gold Cups. Only 11 players have won all of these: Gonzalo Pieres, Carlos Gracida, Bautista Heguy, Juan Ignacio Merlos, Sebastian Merlos, Adolfo Cambiaso, Juan Martin Nero, David Stirling, Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres (h.) and Nicolas Pieres.

LOVE OF MY LIFE BY TOMÁ S PANELO

PONY’S NAME: ALBERTA JUNIPER

SEX: MARE

ORIGIN: ARGENTINA

I got Juniper from a farm in Lobos, my hometown inArgentina. I saw her one day in a paddock and I really likedthe look of her – she was long and looked powerful and verypretty. I said to the owner, Diego Vistalli, that I wanted to tryher. I played her in the first practice – she was heavy but shewas passing other mares and stopping.

I really liked her action; really fast and not moving fromthe ground, so I thought if she could run like that unfit,hopefully by getting her fit and in good shape, she could doreally well.

I asked the owner to leave her with me for a few days,and since that moment, I haven’t wanted to get off her.I played her for two chukkas in every game in the Cámara deDiputados in Argentina last year. After that I flew her toDubai to play in a few games of the Gold Cup there. ThenI flew her to England, and this 2021 season it was amazingwhat she did. The quality of horses in the UK season is reallyhigh and it’s really competitive. Everyone has good stringsof horses, so it’s difficult to have a mare that stands out.

Also, for a player of my handicap (6 goals going to 7) andstarting my career aged 21, it’s really difficult to find mareslike that or have the chance to buy them. I think I was verylucky I found her! She always gives one more run, and whenthe other horses are tired, this one keeps pushing andrunning. I played her three times in every game of the GoldCup. Every last chukka of the game I want to be on her. Andshe rises to important moments – I scored the winning goalin the 7th chukka in two of the league games.