Standouts Talented horses top players rely on By Jewel Connelly/United States Polo Association Photos by David Lominska/Polographics.com
Machitos Pangia
Owned by Polito Pieres Peaking the interest of 10-goaler Polito Pieres with her impressive pedigree, Machitos Pangia catapulted her career as part of an elite string of equine athletes, quickly distinguishing herself to be one of his best at just 8 years old. Prized for her nimble athleticism and explosive acceleration, Machitos Pangia is the mare Pieres reserves for key plays in a tight game, especially adept at gaining momentum when the win is on the line. Handling on the field like a high-performance vehicle, she can effortlessly switch from incredible velocity to turning with pinpoint accuracy. Machitos Pangia matured her skills in the 2018 Tortugas Open, the first leg of the Argentine Triple Crown, before arriving stateside to compete for Aspen in the 2019 Gauntlet of Polo. Playing the game with signature grit and flair, Pieres ascended through the ranks, joining his cousin Facundo Pieres to achieve the highest rating in 2015 at just 28 years old. Always in search of exceptional horses to match his level, Pieres has found the ingredients present in Machitos Pangia, a bay equipped with every gear as he challenged his three cousins and Gauntlet rivals Facundo, Gonzalito (Pilot) and Nico Pieres (Coca-Cola). Sitting down with Polito Pieres earlier this year the USPA learned about the young horse’s natural talent and how Pieres’ keen eye for recognizing quality quickly blossomed into a solid partnership. What is her breeding? Machitos Pangia is by Durazno (Pucara x Guinda), a Los Machitos stallion, and out of Pandora, an American Thoroughbred mare that John Muse owned and Mariano Aguerre played in the Argentine 32 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
Open in 2010. Muse purchased Pandora from Scott Devon in 2009. Todd Offen, who played for Devon and managed his string, found Pandora in Canada. Aguerre agreed to give Muse access to Durazno in exchange for allowing him to play Pandora in the Argentine Open. How did Machitos Pangia come to your string? I tried her in Argentina from Andres Weisz, John Muse’s operating partner in their joint breeding program in Argentina. When I first tried her, I loved her mouth and how sensitive she was. She stopped really well and although she didn’t run much, I knew she would run with me. She could stop really fast, so I didn’t care about the speed, but as soon as I got her I played a couple of practices and then she started running more. I played her in the Tortugas Open when she was 7 years old. She played in Argentina for a little bit and then I sent her to Florida. Last year she was one of my best horses. What chukker do you typically play her? I normally play her in the beginning of the game because she is amazing in the first chukker. I also want to save her for the fifth or sixth chukker. I always try to bring her out when we are losing, during a tied game or in the last couple of minutes because on her I know I can score a goal or make a nice play for my teammates. Does she have any other siblings who play? Machitos Petrus is a full sister who I play in the Argentine Open. Michael Bickford played Machitos Pontiac, a full brother of Machitos Pangia, in the Gauntlet of Polo. John Muse plays Machitos Prisa, another full sister to Pangia and played her in California this summer. Although Pandora passed
