28 minute read
Action
MATÍAS CALLEJO / AAP The world’s top players, Facundo Pieres and Adolfo Cambiaso, in the rain at the Argentine Open final
THE ACTION
54 The Triple Crown
How La Dolfina made history by becoming the first team to win the
Triple Crown three years in a row – overtaking legends Coronel Suárez
58 Thai Polo Cup Argentina
Polo went from strength to strength as Rubén Burgos’s Las Codornices team took home the title at the finish of a lively tournament 59 USPA International
The 2015 competition saw a host team triumph for the fourth consecutive year
60 All Pro Polo League
The league set to bring the game back to its golden age…
62 World Snow Polo
The annual Aspen winter tournament produced some spectacular powder play 64 Chilean Open
The closing match of the 2015 high-goal polo season saw some exhilaratingly competitive and fast-paced play in the heart of Santiago
65 Peru Open
The 97th Polo Open Championship in Lima came to a close in December with both local talent and international stars showing fine form
THE TRIPLE CROWN
The Argentinian annual highlight saw La Dolfina make history with their third consecutive win, in a skilfully played tournament that banished the memory of 2014, reports Héctor Martelli
A year ago, reporting on the Triple Crown, I said the following: ‘With regard to high-goal polo in Argentina, the 2014 season was very different to the previous ones. Five of the six highestrated teams maintained the same line-ups as 2013.’ Exactly the opposite happened in 2015.
Only La Dolfina and Chapaleufú – the latter playing due to their handicap being raised at the end of last year – retained the same line-up as in 2014. The other teams featured important changes: Ellerstina hired brand-new 10-goaler Polito Pieres as its no 1 after Mariano Aguerre’s departure from high-goal polo; Alegría brought Cristian Laprida Jr into Fred Mannix’s foursome, Polito Pieres having left to join Ellerstina; La Aguada featured a completely different line-up – Miguel Novillo Astrada didn’t play the high-goal season, and the only Novillo Astrada in the team was his brother, Ignacio, who was joined by Agustín Merlos, Guillermo Terrera Jr and Guillermo ‘Sapito’ Caset; La Aguada Las Monjitas hired Sebastián Merlos and Ignacio Toccalino, following the departure of Cristian Laprida Jr, Lucas James, Eduardo Jr and Alejandro Novillo Astrada. So, with these significant changes, the action began. As usual, its started with the Tortugas Open, the only competition that showcases the six highest-rated teams. La Dolfina displayed perfect team-play and went through to the final, with impressive wins against Chapaleufú and Alegría. Ellerstina followed suit, having faced the two La Aguada teams, although their results weren’t as wide as La Dolfina’s.
A final is always another important chapter in the history books, and the first championship of the Triple Crown was no exception. However, the match was not as good as everybody had
Opposite Cambiaso celebrates La Dolfina’s third-time Triple This page Hilario Ulloa (in pink, below) went to 10 goals, as did Sapo Caset (in white, bottom)
expected from the two highest-rated teams, with handicaps of 40 and 39 respectively. It was a fast-played game, but featured many fouls as well as a lot of individual plays, mostly from Ellerstina. As a result, the action was very rough and very slow. Out of a total of 20 goals scored, 12 were on penalty shots and only eight from the ground. Juan Martín Nero, La Dolfina’s back, was the team’s best player and proved a tough wall that was impossible to break for the forwarders. Gonzalo Pieres Jr, similarly, was akin to a bodyguard for Ellerstina.
Following the Tortugas Open, it was time for Argentina’s oldest tournament: the 122nd Hurlingham Open, which awards the coveted Ayrshire Cup. It featured eight teams broken down into two leagues. Washington and Magual, both rated with a handicap of 31 and the winners of the qualifiers, joined the six highest-rated teams.
There was a big surprise during League A’s qualifying stage, when Washington (31) defeated La Aguada (34) by a narrow 13–12 score. The winners carried a comfortable five-goal advantage by half time, but La Aguada struggled to cut the margin to one goal. In the next match,
Washington lost to La Aguada Las Monjitas by just one goal. The only team that won the three games with ease was La Dolfina.
When it came to League B, there were some surprises as well. Despite losing their three games, Magual (31) put in a worthy performance, losing to Ellerstina (39) by two goals, then to Alegría (35) and Chapaleufú (34) by just one goal each. Ellerstina were the league winners, after a wide 19–11 victory against Alegría in the league-decider match.
In a new edition of the derby, La Dolfina and Ellerstina met to play the championship game. If we’d had to make a prediction according to what we saw at this stage of the season, the obvious winner would have been La Dolfina. And yes, that came to pass, but they took a narrow win by just one goal after a match that reminded us all that great Argentinian polo still exists, despite our uncomfortable memories of the 2014 Argentine Open final.
The all-Pieres foursome battled their hardest from the very first throw-in. Following a 2–2 score in the first chukka, Ellerstina took control of the match and remained in the lead until four minutes from the end of the last chukka.
This page, from top All eyes were on Nico Pieres as he chased the ball; Polito Pieres with an overhead smash Opposite Third-time Triple Crown winners La Dolfina
Ellerstina’s dominance was absolutely fantastic and was based on some fabulous team-play, led by brothers Gonzalo and Facundo Pieres, whose fast polo overwhelmed their rivals. They took a two-goal lead in the second chukka, and by the end of the fifth, Ellerstina had a four-goal advantage. Meanwhile, La Dolfina battled back and cut the margin to two goals. However, the all-Pieres foursome’s dominance remained strong, despite Facundo Pieres falling heavily in the fourth chukka, hitting his head and right shoulder. Then, the unexpected happened. In the thrilling last four minutes of play, the strong mid-play led by a brave MacDonough and Stirling struggled to produce any goals and tied the match. In the last seconds of regulation time, a 60-yard penalty awarded to La Dolfina was successfully converted by Adolfo Cambiaso to seal a hard-fought 15–14 win.
The question is this: how is it possible to lose a match that was almost said and done in just four minutes, while holding a three-goal lead? Is it stage fright – that is, the fear of losing – that disrupts one’s play? What’s clear is that,
like the rules say, a match is only over when the final bell sounds.
And now to the big party of the polo world, not only in Argentina but worldwide: the Argentine Polo Open Championship.
The tournament was broken down into two leagues: League A, comprising La Dolfina (40), Alegría (35) and La Aguada (34), and League B, featuring Ellerstina (39), La Aguada Las Monjitas (35), Chapaleufú (34) and Washington (31). Some matches in both leagues were predicted to be won by wide scores, but that didn’t happen and, instead, there were surprises in both leagues.
In League A, La Aguada took an impressive five-goal difference to beat Alegría, who’d had a great record last year, and then Alegría lost to title-holders La Dolfina by just two goals. La Aguada also played a great match against La Dolfina, who beat them by three goals. In short, it was a very balanced league, with La Dolfina always emerging as the winners, although by fewer goals than expected.
League B had one major protagonist: 31-goal Washington, the young foursome who came up from the qualifiers. They surprised everybody with an impressive 15–12 win against Chapaleufú before a dignified loss to La Aguada Las Monjitas and Ellerstina by just 3 and 4 goals respectively, and only because of their low handicap.
As expected, the final of the Argentine Polo Open Championship was no other than the sport’s clash of the titans, the powerful La Dolfina versus Ellerstina. A year ago, in reference to the awful championship performance we all watched back then, I wrote: ‘This terrible match has left a black mark on the home of the world’s best polo.’ But this 122nd edition of the Open final was a masterclass in polo, especially during the first four chukkas. I truly believe this was La Dolfina’s best team-play of their career. It displayed powerful backhanders, intelligent anticipation, extreme speed and perfectly balanced rotation.
During these four chukkas, Ellerstina were completely lost and overwhelmed, unable to take any of La Dolfina’s men. As a result, La Dolfina managed an 8–4 lead. Ellerstina made a comeback in the fifth and seventh chukkas, while the eighth chukka was extremely close, very hard fought, and even Nico Pieres missed a crucial goal that could have sent the match into overtime. La Dolfina finally won 13–12. With regards to this derby, we should ask ourselves why La Dolfina always defeat Ellerstina. The answer is simple: their play is organised and they make only a few mistakes. In contrast, their rivals make many mistakes that end up in fouls. In addition, while Cambiaso and company make the difficult look easy – something that’s only been accomplished by the greatest winners in the history of the derbies – their rivals make difficult what should be easy. It’s worth mentioning La Dolfina’s historic achievement. They became the first team to reach the Triple Crown for the third year in a row, overtaking the one and only Coronel Suárez, who won a total of four, though only two of them were consecutive.
Analysing the performance of the four members of La Dolfina during the three tournaments of the season, I would say that Cambiaso, despite his chronic injuries, was the team’s leading man and the one who was always there when his teammates needed him. Uruguay-born Stirling, the big number two that every team needs, was at the heart of all the hottest moments of the match. Nero, as usual and more than ever this year, was a real wall in defence – every forwarder’s biggest nightmare. MacDonough, however, was not the player we have been used to watching, who scores spectacular goals. Ellerstina’s performance was not as expected: it was difficult for them to adapt to their new positions and they played at their best only in the final of the Hurlingham Open. The winds of change will no doubt blow through the upcoming 2016 Argentina high-goal season.
THAI POLO CUP ARGENTINA
Las Codornices lifted the trophy at the end of a thoroughly enjoyable tournament, one in which the standard of polo went from strength to strength, reports Carolina Beresford
Thai Polo landed in Argentina for a second year, bringing some much-needed fun to a structured season. Rubén Burgos’ Las Codornices claimed the title after narrowly beating last year’s champions, Power Infrastructure.
Dato’ Harald Link’s tournament took a big leap forward, with 10 teams of 12–14 goals. ‘The tournament aims to appeal to patrons who want to have a good time and play great polo,’ said Manu Cereceda, Thai Polo’s charismatic manager. ‘In 2015, we had the same six teams, as well as four new teams. It’s fantastic that they all came back. The year before, it was 10–12 goals, and we improved the level and made it 14.’
The tournament had to deal with an unusually wet spring, starting a day later than planned. ‘It was due to run from 17 to 27 November, but it rained on four of the 10 days and we had to work wonders to fit in all the dates,’ Cereceda added. ‘Fortunately, between Thai Polo, La Virgencita and San José, we had four grounds in total and, amazingly, the fields held up. We played even when play for the Argentine Open was suspended!’
Once on the field, it was clear the level of polo had improved dramatically: ‘Teams arrived more prepared – the team that came fifth out of six in 2014 went on to be the victors! This was the cup everybody wanted to win, but the tournament never lost the friendly tone that defines it.’
All agree that Thai Polo is more than just a tournament – it provides a unique experience. ‘From the minute our patrons land in Argentina, they get VIP treatment,’ boasted Cereceda. ‘We provide the best hotels and rental-car deals, we organise a team presentation at La Martina’s flagship store, we host dinners at the Alvear Palace, and we always have a big closing party. The day of the final was great. We had 11 classic cars displayed, a live band, DJ, fireworks… and the party was still going strong at 4am!’
Thai Polo Cup Argentina is refreshing – it’s fun and light-hearted, and gives both patrons and players the chance to play good, safe polo in a beautiful setting. What’s more, the hospitality on offer is of a type that has been lost in many parts of the world. And this is just the beginning. ‘We’re already planning this year’s event,’ said Cereceda. ‘Our goal is to get the same 10 teams we had in 2015, plus two more. But the tournament is not driven by economic interests – we don’t want to lose the personal attention we give all our participants. We want this to be the cup everybody looks forward to playing.’
With Thai Polo growing steadily on three different continents, other clubs wanting to stage a brilliantly organised and good-humoured event could do worse than take a leaf out of Link and Cereceda’s book.
The Thai Polo festivities included a race between a classic car and a pony ridden by Bartolomé Castagnola
USPA INTERNATIONAL
The 2015 instalment of this American high-goal international saw a host team triumph for the fourth consecutive year, reports Alex Webbe
International test matches are as old as the game itself, the first recorded having been held in 600BC between the Turks and Persians. The oldest such competition in the United States of recent times is the Westchester Cup, which began in 1886. Over the years, other series played there have included the Camacho Cup and the Cup of the Americas, but both were played at irregular intervals.
So starved was the US for the return of high-goal competition that, in 2012, the Grand Champions Polo Club launched the International Cup, in which it first faced an English team and, in successive years, Chilean and Mexican teams, capturing all three competitions. This set the stage for last November’s USPA International Cup match against a 24-goal South African side at Florida’s Wellington Polo Club. The US fielded 8-goalers Julio Arellano and Nic Roldan, 7-goaler Jeff Hall and talented amateur and veteran Marc Ganzi (pictured, on the ball). The South African team comprised 7-goaler Tom de Bruin, 6-goalers Chris MacKenzie and Gareth Evans and 5-goaler Selby Williams. The game was physical right from the opening throw-in, Roldan and Arellano displaying envious mallet skills and the South Africans trying everything to upset their rhythm.
Ganzi scored the first goal from the field, followed by a pair from Arellano that gave the US a 3–0 advantage. Williams converted a 60-yard penalty shot, making it 3–1. Arellano’s third goal was countered by one from Evans and the chukka ended with the USA holding a 4–2 lead.
Defence was the tone for the second chukka, with neither team able to score from the field. Fouls by South Africa cost them, with Arellano converting on three penalty shots that went unanswered. The USA were 7–2 in the lead.
MacKenzie and de Bruin opened the third chukka with goals that brought them to 7–4, but Hall scored the final two to keep the US at 9-4.
Both offences were toned down in the fourth period. Arellano and de Bruin exchanged goals and, by the end, South Africa trailed 10–5.
Hall scored his third goal to kick off the final chukka, 11-5. MacKenzie and de Bruin made it 11-7, but time had run out. Ganzi scored the last goal of the game for the final score of 12-7 and a fourth consecutive International Cup win.
Arellano led all scoring with seven goals – five of which were on penalty conversions – and earned MVP honours. Hall’s 10-year-old grey mare, Candela, received the accolade of BPP.
ALL PRO POLO LEAGUE
With the formation of the All Pro Polo League, writes Carolina Beresford, Javier Tanoira aims to recover the magic he believes the game has lost
The first edition of the All Pro Polo League (APPL) was hosted in Argentina last November. Born of Javier Tanoira’s ambition to take polo back to the glory days, the APPL presents a simple objective: to encourage dynamic, open polo and motivate a professional attitude towards the sport.
Surprisingly, Tanoira’s first tournament managed just that. Thanks to a new set of rules, APPL matches were fast-paced and entertaining: six-chukka matches lasted just 50 minutes and, in many, the whistle was blown only once.
‘We’re trying to bring back a form of polo that, for one reason or another, disappeared a while ago,’ Tanoira explains. ‘We want to make it faster, simpler and more enjoyable to watch.’ To achieve this, the rules have been revised – notably, just one horse is allowed per chukka. This is arguably the most controversial element, but with high-goal players slowing the game down by using up to three, these changes have piqued the interest of many.
Tanoira cites two fundamental reasons for this limitation. The first, he says, is common sense: ‘Twenty years ago, when polo was more fluid, only one horse was played per chukka, and good mares used to play two whole chukkas in the Argentine high-goal.’ Back then, he insists, ponies did not tire because polo was very much a team sport. The problem today, he argues, is that it is centred instead on the individual.
The second reason he gives has to do with what he calls ‘self-regulation’. He explains how, every season, more people, namely patrons, distance themselves from polo because they cannot compete with big organisations and players who use 14 horses per game: ‘By allowing only six horses per six-chukka match, we are rewarding those who focus their efforts on riding well and training their ponies correctly. We believe this rule will revolutionise the sport, making it more accessible to a wider audience.’ The APPL has also questioned what constitutes a foul – today’s rule book has become so complex, it is almost impossible to form an objective view. Tanoira aims to make it easier for players, spectators and umpires. ‘We have just two important rules when it comes to fouls,’ he
elaborates. ‘The first is that a player who keeps the ball at a slow speed should be penalised. The second is that the player with the ball cannot use a teammate to stop the opposition blocking him – he needs to outsmart the player himself.’
Tanoira is still unsure what the formation of the APPL will lead to, but by giving youngsters a chance to play this type of polo, he hopes to have a positive effect on their long-term style of play. ‘We decided to start the tournament with young players who can be taught the principles of discipline and respect because they are the future 10-goalers who will influence the sport. Our hope is that they continue to demonstrate the values learnt in the APPL, such as team play and passing the ball, but also maintain the skills of the modern game. Polo has evolved hugely, and we don’t want to lose that.’
The support gained from the Argentine Association of Polo, the Federation of International Polo, the United States Polo Association and the Hurlingham Polo Association will allow the APPL to grow internationally, with the goal of creating a Polo World Tour. While an international fixture is yet to be defined, Tanoira hints at the probability of taking the League to England and Spain over the course of this year. The APPL has also formed a separate Pro-Am
Opposite Juan Britos goes for goal This page Javier Tanoira umpires the final match
League to give patrons the chance to play under the new rules. Thanks to the ‘one horse per chukka’ requirement, both the APPL and Pro-Am leagues allow patrons and players the opportunity of competing without the obligatory economic strain now synonymous with traditional high-goal tournaments.
The APPL has already started to make waves in the polo world. Opinion is still divided over some of the more creative rules, but Tanoira highlights the League’s key objective: ‘The important thing is to try different approaches. If it works, then we can improve our sport as a whole. If it doesn’t, we have just validated the current form of polo.’
Either way, Tanoira’s changes have certainly hit right at the heart of polo’s modern-day problems. By fostering principles of respect and camaraderie while allowing the game to grow in speed and skill, the APPL might well represent the future of the game.
WORLD SNOW POLO
December’s annual tournament in Aspen produced some stunning powder play between six top-ranking teams, reports Alex Webbe
There’s no mystery to the allure of the former mining town of Aspen, Colorado. Perched high in the colourful and majestic Rocky Mountains, the town offers a summer season of golf, tennis, trout fishing, white-water rafting, mountain biking and even glacier skiing, but the winter is when it gets to flex its muscles as one of the world’s most celebrated resorts.
With more than 5,000 acres of skiing terrain, you would think all the winter activities would be focused on the slopes. But every December, just before Christmas, well-trained thoroughbreds and top-ranked international players gather here to compete in Aspen’s World Snow Polo Championship.
Last year attracted six teams, with rosters of participants from Argentina, Canada, Pakistan, Australia, Wales and the United States arriving for three days of competitions and four nights of cocktail parties, fine dinners and Aspen nightlife. St Regis Hotels and Resorts was the title sponsor of the 2015 event, and Aspen Valley Polo Club founders Melissa and Marc Ganzi, and polo ambassador and St Regis Connoisseur Nacho Figueras, hosted the tournament. The teams were greeted by an 11in snowfall on the Tuesday before the event, and the VIP tent was in place fieldside at the city’s Rio Grande Park.
An international field lined up, with Ricky Cooper, captain of the Welsh national polo team, joining Marc Ganzi and Tommy Biddle, America’s only 10-goal arena player, on the Audi team. Australian Bernie Uechtritz saddled up with Martin Pepa and Mariano Gracida, meanwhile, to form the ChukkerTV side. Nacho Figueras led St Regis into the fray alongside Brian Boyd and Carlitos Gracida, and Melissa Ganzi’s Flexjet featured American 7-goaler Jeff Hall and veteran Argentine Juan Bollini. The field was filled out with One Sandy Lane, of Barbados, being represented by Bash Kazi, Brandon Phillips and Martin Estrada. Finally, the US Polo Association team, led by American 8-goaler Nic Roldan, included Grant Ganzi and Juancito Bollini.
Following a Wednesday-night draw at the St Regis Hotel and Resort, the first day’s competition took place in the Aspen Valley Polo Club’s indoor arena in the format of two round robins. US Polo scored wins over Audi and ChukkerTV for a perfect 2–0 record and a trip to the tournament final on Saturday. In the second round-robin of the day, Flexjet bested One Sandy Lane and St Regis, earning them a berth in the tournament final against US Polo. ChukkerTV and St Regis would go on to play in the subsidiary final on the Saturday, and Audi and One Sandy Lane to compete for the St Regis Cup in Friday-afternoon action.
With Aspen Mountain forming a dramatic backdrop, Audi and One Sandy Lane took to the snow-covered arena with an enthusiastic flock of spectators gathered around the miniature field. With only three players on each side, ball control was essential, and Audi’s Tommy Biddle displayed his 10-goal arena-polo form as he ran up four of the five first-half goals that carried Audi to the 7–3 St Regis Cup win. ‘We got off to a slow start on Thursday,’ said Biddle afterwards, ‘but we finally found our rhythm.’
Saturday’s title game between Flexjet and US Polo didn’t disappoint, and the crowd
Opposite Snow play against the mountain backdrop. This page, from top The winning US Polo team; Nacho Figueras and Martin Pepa celebrate with the crowd cheered on the impressive skills displayed by the players. The VIP tent offered hospitality to guests who included Australian billionaire Jamie Packer and his fiancée Mariah Carey. Packer is the captain of the storied Ellerston team, and Carey, of course, needs no introduction.
Melissa Ganzi scored the first goal of the game, but Nic Roldan quickly responded with a tying goal, 1–1. Juancito Bollini scored back-to-back goals, with Grant Ganzi scoring the final of the opening chukka to secure a 4–1 lead. US Polo held control of the game through the second chukka as they extended their lead to four goals, 6–2, to end the first half of play.
Third-period goals from Roldan and Juancito Bollini were complemented by shut-out defence as Flexjet found themselves trailing by six going into the fourth and final chukka. A mini-rally gave Flexjet a glimpse of hope in the opening minutes of the last period, but a pair of goals from Grant Ganzi ended the comeback – US Polo finished the game with a resounding 10–5 victory and claimed the Snow Polo Championship.
For the third year in a row, Roldan appeared on the winning team and was named Most Valuable Player. He scored three goals and was the driving force behind US Polo’s attack.
The final match of the tournament, the subsidiary final, featured ChukkerTV (whose channel livestreamed every game of the event) and Nacho Figueras and St Regis. It was Figueras who scored the three first-chukka goals as St Regis took the early 4–1 lead, but the one-two punch of ChukkerTV’s Mariano Gracida and Martin Pepa combined to take back the lead after the second period. ChukkerTV claimed the win, but Figueras was fêted as the star of the match when the teams and spectators retired to the VIP tent for the wrap party.
‘The weather was perfect and the teams were very competitive,’ concluded Figueras after the trophy presentation. ‘It was a great tournament.’
CHILEAN OPEN
The closing match of the Chilean season saw some exhilarating play in a country where the polo scene is beginning to flourish, says Carolina Beresford
The 2015 high-goal polo season came to a spectacular end with the Chile Open, held at San Cristobal Polo and Equestrian club in the heart of Santiago. Players from all over the world travelled to Chile for the chance to play 24-goal polo. Fourteen Chileans, 12 Argentines and two Brazilians formed seven teams to compete for the most important title in Chilean polo. The most notable players were those who travelled to the Chilean capital straight after playing the Argentine Open in Palermo: Eduardo Novillo Astrada (9) and Alejandro Novillo Astrada (8) both played the semi-final against Ellerstina with Las Monjitas, Santiago Toccalino (8) played for Magual, and Ezequiel Martínez Ferrario (recently raised to 8 by the AAP) debuted in Palermo with Washington.
The tournament was extremely competitive from the start. Defending champions Itaú Casa Silva were knocked out of the competition in their semi-final game against El Paraiso-RKF. Despite being four goals down in the fourth, Paraiso-RKF managed to fight their way back to win by a goal in the closing seconds of the game.
The second semi-final was equally hard fought; Peugeot took on Newman Polo Team. Peugeot had won the Handicap Open and were winning comfortably at half time. Newman, however, came out in full force for the fourth chukka and managed to tie the game in the last. But Peugeot were not about to follow Itaú Casa Silva’s mistake, and they clung on to win the semi-final by one.
The final was played the following day; the field was in perfect condition and the match did not disappoint. Peugeot’s Aluisio Villela had suffered a finger fracture in the last chukka of the semi-final and had to be replaced by Julio Novillo Astrada. Peugeot’s line-up thus presented two cousins (Alejandro and Julio Novillo Astrada) and two brothers (Santiago and Antonio Pereira).
The game got off to an even start, but Peugeot managed to push in front by the third. ParaisoRKF struggled to get into the game and Peugeot secured a comfortable lead. It was only in the fifth that Paraiso-RKF began to make headway. They fought until the end and tied the game 8–8 in the closing seconds of the sixth, forcing the match into extra chukka. Everything was to play for as both teams rode back onto the field. In the end, it was Alejandro Novillo Astrada who scored the golden goal and secured the win for Peugeot. The 8-goaler was later presented with the Gabriel Donoso Trophy for the Most Valuable Player of the final.
The level of polo in Chile continues to improve every year. The Polo World Cup, hosted in Santiago last March, saw Chile become victors, with the tournament attracting thousands of fans from across the globe. The attention the country received has helped the national polo scene greatly, and now many talented young players are rising through the ranks, Chilean polo is looking more promising than ever.
The Peugeot team, which won the Chilean Open final 9–8 against Paraiso-RFK
PERU OPEN
The concluding championship in the successful Lima Polo Tour saw local talent and professionals of international renown on fine form, says Araceli Masias
On Saturday 19 December, Peru held the final of its 97th Polo Open Championship in the Lima Polo Club at Pachacamac. La Quebrada (Fico Uribe, Marcelo Rizo Patrón, Jaime Pablo Rizo Patrón, Marcos ‘Negro’ Di Paola) beat Caña Brava (Adrian Poblete, Francisco Elizalde, Tincho Merlos, Guillermo Li) with a score of 10–8.
It was the first time in Peruvian polo history that the Lima Polo Club had gathered professional players (pictured above) of this calibre from Argentina, Chile and Colombia to play in the Open. The handicaps of some of those notables were as follows: Tincho Merlos (9), Nacho Novillo-Astrada (9), Cubi Toccalino (9), Marcos ‘Negro’ Di Paola (8), Jaime Huidobro (7), Juan Gris Zavaleta (7), Francisco Elizalde (7) and Fico Uribe (6). Elimination rounds were held on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The game started with Caña Brava in the lead, having scored three more goals than La Quebrada in the first three chukkas. In the fourth, the scores were equalised, at 8–8, and in the fifth and final, La Quebrada scored two goals to win the game, cheered on by an excited crowd.
The championship’s highest-ranked player from Peru was Caña Brava’s Guillermo Li, who has a handicap of 5 and is the country’s only professional. At just 16 years old, Conrado Puigrefagut (3) was the youngest on the field, which didn’t stop him being awarded the honour of Best Peruvian Player. Marcos ‘Negro’ Di Paola, meanwhile, was named Best Player of the championship overall.
The match was part of the Lima Polo Tour, which comprised two earlier championships, held in July and October, and concluded with the season-ending Peru Open in December. The tour has really brought the sport to the fore within the Peruvian community, and the introduction of such an impressive array of professional players has greatly increased the number of interested locals – this Open commanded bigger crowds than any other year, with more than 2,000 people attending the final.
While they were in Peru, the Argentine players didn’t just play in the championship: they were able to experience the host country’s rich culture and delectable cuisine. They also visited some of its tourist spots, among them the Inca ruins around Lima and one of the renowned La Calera citrus farms. As the final was broadcast by ESPN International, the players also gave interviews to the global polo press, the Peruvian sites they visited providing a dramatic backdrop.
The Lima Polo Club will be hosting the 20-handicap Max Peña Open in July and the 22-handicap Peru Open this December, and will again secure the involvement of high-handicap professionals from around the world. Their presence allows the club to not only highlight polo in the local media, but also to improve the game among young Peruvian players – both worthwhile aims.
