Land of Open Glory

As Adolfo Cambiaso gleefully hurled his 52-inch mallet over the fence at Palermo into the traffi c of Libertador Avenue, you could be forgiven for thinking that his La Dolfi na team had just won the Open. No, this was the opening weekend of the 111th Argentine Open and the tension had already reached fever pitch as the 2002 champions came back to beat a young Ellerstina team in the dying seconds.

If the past couple of seasons in Argentina were good, solid, examples of how polo should be played, the 2004 season surpassed expectations, producing an exceptional vintage that, thanks to cable TV, was bottled by ESPN.

A combination of faster horses, a new tournament structure, even team line-ups and a new batch of promising players ensured that this would be the most exciting season in memory.

In 2003, the four Novillo Astrada brothers had squeezed the attacking bite out of their opponents with a defensive team strategy to win the three Triple Crown tournaments (Tortugas, Hurlingham and Argentine Opens) for La Aguada. In 2004, however, they would be unable to contain the horse power and fl air of their opponents. e season began with a strong showing f rom La Mariana in the Jockey Club Open. e new Merlos team, under the watchful eye of the team’s godfather, movie star-cumpolo-guru Tommy Lee Jones, uncovered some serious thoroughbred speed to win the season opener.

But the Merlos brothers had, it appeared, shown their trump cards too early as the Triple Crown series began as 2003 had fi nished, with La Aguada winning the Tortugas Open. Business as usual for the Novillo Astradas, it seemed. en came the turn of the Hurlingham Open and Indios Chapalefu I, who hadn’t won a high goal tournament since Mariano Aguerre scored a golden goal to win the 2001 Argentine Open, showing some rediscovered form to win the trophy after overcoming La Mariana in the fi nal.

And, so, to the Argentine Open, polo’s holy grail, which would be decided with a new system created by the late, great Argentine Polo Association president Gonzalo Taniora. e winners of two four-team zones would progress to the fi nal, which meant there would be fewer games - and controversially no semi-fi nals - but more telling fi xtures, with goal diff erence coming into play if there was no outright winner.

After the biggest dog-fi ght in years, Indios Chapaleufu II defi ed the form books to win their fourth Argentine Open title, fi nding their game just in time to set up and win against old family rivals Indios Chapaleufu I in the fi rst Heguy showdown since 1996.

But their road to the fi nal was rocky. Lacklustre performances against American debutants Isla Carroll, followed by a defeat to Ellerstina, meant that Chapa II had only an outside chance of reaching the 111th Abierto fi nal.

But the Heguys are Argentina’s most famous polo family for good reason. ey bounced back with an outstanding display of four-man polo, knocking out La Dolfi na to top the group on goal diff erence and deprive Adolfo Cambiaso of the chance to play in his seventh consecutive fi nal.

As Eduardo Heguy hurled his hat into the adoring crowd, one thing was certain – a Heguy would be gulping champagne f rom the Abierto trophy as both Indios Chapaleufu teams had topped their groups and qualifi ed for the fi nal.

“ is is going to be the dream fi nal. It’s against the old enemy at the cathedral of polo. e trophy will be back in Heguy hands, where it belongs,” said Chapa II’s Eduardo Heguy. e fi nal was by no means a nail-biter, as the other games had been, but was instead marred by an injury to Indios Chapaleufu I’s Horacio Heguy whose horse tripped in the seventh chukka, slamming him onto the ground and breaking two of his ribs.

Meanwhile, a new star was emerging, Juan Martin Nero, Marcos Heguy’s team mate in the 2004 Gold Cup winning team Azurra. Nero, 23 was originally on stand-by,

Eduardo Heguy (left) and Bautista Heguy

but thanks to injuries ended up playing the entire Open for Chapa I. By the end of the season he had been hailed as Argentina’s golden boy, an inspiration for all aspiring local players who were not born into a polo dynasty like his teammates.

Desperate to make their own mark were the Pieres brothers. Sons of Gonzalo, one of the godfathers of Argentine polo. Gonzalo Jr drove the young Ellerstina team forward f rom number three, while young gun Facundo mesmerised the crowds with his stick-work up f ront. In

Opposite top left: Palermo 1, La Victoria. Above: Eduardo Novillo Astrada, Juan Ignacio Merlos. Left: Eduardo Heguy, Milo Fernandez Araijo, Ignacio Heguy and Alberto Heguy. Below: Chapa 1 supporters

Ellerstina’s second game, the 18-year-old Facundo dramatically plucked a bouncing ball out of the air and redirected it into the goal to score the winner in the last minute of extra time. Palermo will be seeing a lot more of this rising star.

Meanwhile in Pilar Chico, England’s Tomlinson boys were making their mark on Argentine soil. Luke and Mark, two of England’s Coronation Cup team, qualifi ed against all the odds with a 25-goal team for the highly coveted Camara de Diputados tournament with Puerta Aierta, and almost pulled off an unheard-of victory. ey were minutes away f rom qualifying for the fi nal until they were denied by a 40 yard penalty.

“It hurts right now, but we’ll be back,” said Luke Tomlinson. After his 2004 statement in the House of Commons, you might just believe him. ■