November 2021 Polo Players' Edition- The Sheriff's Horse

The Sheriff’s Horse

Past and Present AAP Leaders Take Arena Win

Martindale’s Julián Martínez Youens carries the ball along the wall while trying to get by Argentine Polo’s Juan Lalor in a preliminary match.

©AAP

In Argentina there is a phrase of popular wisdom that perfectly describes when a person has help to obtain positive results in some matter: “He is running with the sheriff’s horse.” And the truth is that appearing in a tournament with the current and former presidents of the Argentine Polo Association as part of the team may help to collaborate a lot with the cause. Joking aside, the Arena Polo Grand Prix once again enjoyed a very fun and attractive competition, just as had happened in 2019.

This season, La Carona Polo Club was the venue for this very entertaining second edition of the competition, which had La Aguada as the big winner with Delfín Uranga (president of the AAP) and Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr. (former president of the AAP) in the line-up. Both were accompanied by Carlos Menéndez Behety to complete the trio that won the Gold Cup.

Some matches were played under the lights at night.

©AAP

This year, the tournament featured the participation of six teams with handicaps between 11 and 19 goals. In the contest, each player plays with a handicap two goals higher than his official handicap.

On the opening day, two round robins were played with the winners advancing. In the final, La Aguada beat Ascochinga, 11-7, to win the main title.

Meanwhile, Capilla Polo got the Silver Cup among the runners-up. The team of Juan Banchero, Felipe and Francisco Bargalló won, 7-2, over Argentina Polo Day. Earlier in the day, Equestria defeated Martindale, 6½-2, to win the Bronze Cup.

La Aguada’s Carlos Menéndez Behety, Delfín Uranga and Eduardo Novillo Astrada won.

©AAP

GOLD CUP

La Aguada 11, Ascoshinga 7

La Aguada: 19

Carlos Menéndez Behety: 4

Delfín Uranga: 6

Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr.: 9

Ascochinga: 13

Marcos Aldao: 3

Juan Lagos Mármol: 5

Gonzalo Azumendi: 5

SILVER CUP

Capilla Polo 7, Argentina Polo Day 2

Capilla Polo: 13

Juan Banchero: 3

Felipe Bargalló: 5

Francisco Bargalló: 5

Argentina Polo Day: 16

Santiago Tito: 2

Juan Lalor: 7

Santos Perkins: 7

BRONZE CUP

Equestria 6½, Martindale 2

Equestria: 7

Benjamín Soto: 2

Patricio Poggi: 2

Nicolás Llambías: 3

Martindale: 11

Nicolás Pisarenko: 3

Julián Martínez Youens: 3

Ignacio Martin: 5

The AAP continues to increase its support for the different variants in which this sport is played. This type of polo, known as indoor in the United States or England, is called ‘picadero’ in Argentina. The modality consists of the same sport that we already know, but starring three players per team. The matches are played on a reduced field of approximately 110 x 55 yards, and with a sand floor instead of grass. This mode of the game has enormous dynamics since it is played between walls, and since the ball almost never leaves the field, the fluidity is much greater.

It is much more exciting, easier to understand for the spectator that is not familiar with the rules of polo, and is shorter in duration, because it is played in four chukkers of 5 minutes each.

International Formula Polo

The arena competition involving national teams of this attractive 3 vs. 3 contest will be held in Buenos Aires in December as a prelude to the Argentine Open final match. This global initiative will include teams from the countries where the league has acquired a presence. Argentina, USA, France, Germany, Spain, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico will face each other in a blitz tournament to be played on Dec. 7-8.

The matches will be broadcast live on the PoloHUB+ platform and will be enriched with the use of technologies such as GPS on the horses, high-speed drones and live music.

Though arena is a fun version of the sport, everyone looks forward to the outdoor high-goal season, which is now underway. Two new rules changes have gone into effect.

In the final match of the 2020 Palermo Open, as the warning horn sounded in the seventh chukker, Ellerstina was leading La Dolfina, 8-7. By regulation, the action continues for another 30 seconds. Facundo Pieres stole the ball from Pablo Mac Donough and quickly took a shot at the goal. The second bell, the one that irrefutably signals the end of the chukker, rang an instant before the ball crossed the goal line, but clearly after it left Facundo’s mallet. Ellerstina, the team from General Rodríguez, protested. In the eighth and final chukker, La Dolfina scored three goals and won the most important title of all for the eighth consecutive year.

Facundo’s actions seemingly ended up setting a precedent. And the Regulatory Commission of the Argentine Polo Association apparently took note of it. Basketball, perhaps the sport that best understands the relationship between the rules and the show, has a very clear norm regarding this situation: if the buzzer sounds when the ball is in the air, but after it has left the shooter’s hands, the play is valid. And this rule has certainly given basketball some of the most wonderful moments any sport has ever seen.

This season, polo in Argentina will imitate this determination. The new rule states that when a goal

shot is taken in the seconds before the end of any chukker (including the last one) and the second bell rings, the ball will remain in play until the end of its run. There are four ways the next chukker may start:

1. If a goal was scored, a throw-in from the middle of the field.

2. If the goal shot was wide, a knock-in.

3. Throw-in from where the ball finished its run if it was inside the field.

4. Throw-in from where the ball touched a mallet, player or horse. In case the ball hits one of the posts, a determination will be made if it was a goal. Once this decision of the AAP was taken and communicated, Polo Players’ Edition consulted Facundo himself to know his opinion.

“It will add adrenaline and excitement to the match. I don’t know if the decision was taken specifically because of the play in last year’s final. The truth is that it has happened many times in all these years. But I like it, it’s good. Any measure that adds appeal to the show is fine. We players can adapt to almost anything,” said Ellerstina’s goal scorer. The second change is aimed at fair play. Play may only be restarted for Fair Play if no foul has been called and the umpires have had to stop the game before it becomes neutral with one team in clear possession of the ball and free of any opposing player. The umpires shall drop the ball where it was when the whistle was blown and, when the teams are ready, give the ‘play’ signal.

The player who was in possession of the ball shall play within 5 seconds; his team members may be in any position they wish. If the team does not play the ball within 5 seconds, a throw-in will be awarded.

If the ball is within 60 yards (attacking), it shall be placed on the 60-yard line in a straight line to where it was when the whistle was blown. The shot must be taken as if it were a [safety].

The players of the opposing team must not be within 30 yards of the ball or behind it. If one of them is within 30 yards when the [shot] is taken, he may not play until the player in possession of the ball passes it to another player or has been marked by another opponent. If he enters the play, a penalty shall be awarded, always approaching the goal. If the opposing player, for any reason, is behind the ball, he will be offside.

QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT

Group A

Chapaleufú: 29

Julián de Lusarreta: 7

Juan Martín Zavaleta: 8

Rufino Bensadon: 7

Felipe Dabas: 7

La Irenita II: 28

Facundo Fernández Llorente: 7

Min Podestá: 7

Juan Agustín García Grossi: 7

Tomás Fernández Llorente: 7

Los Machitos: 28

Torito Ruiz: 7

Lucas Díaz Alberdi: 7

Mariano Aguerre: 7

Martín Aguerre Jr.: 7

Group B

Alegría Fish Creek: 30

Clemente Zavaleta: 7

Juan Ruiz Guiñazu: 7

Joaquín Pittaluga: 7

Bautista Bayugar: 8

La Esquina: 29

Pascual Sainz de Vicuña: 6

Cristian Laprida Jr.: 8

Lucas James: 7

Iñaki Laprida: 6

La Aguada: 29

Peke Gonzalez: 7

Manuel Elizalde: 7

Miguel Novillo Astrada: 8

Tomás Beresford: 7

La Fija: 28

Gringo Colombres: 7

Ezequiel Martinez Ferrario: 7

Ignacio Negri Jr: 7

Felipe Vercellino: 7

UPCOMING SCHEDULES

OCTOBER 16-NOVEMBER 6

128th Hurlingham Open Hurlingham

NOVEMBER 8- DECEMBER 11

5th Women’s Argentine Polo Open Pilar

NOVEMBER 8

Cámara De Diputados Cup Pilar

NOVEMBER 10- DECEMBER 11

128th Argentine Open Palermo

DECEMBER 13-16

Nations Cup Palermo

Looking Ahead

Who will claim this year’s Argentine Open trophy?

©Sergio Llamera

The season began on Sept. 4 with the San Jorge Open. Ten days later, the Jockey Club Open began, followed by the Tortugas Open. Both were completed as we were going to press, and the Hurlingham Open had just begun. The Hurlingham Open final is scheduled for Nov. 6. The qualifying tournament for the Argentine Open was also just kicking off with seven teams in two groups. The winner of each group plays in the Argentine Open.

The 5th edition of the Women’s Argentine Polo Open begins Nov. 8 and runs through Dec. 11. Played at the association’s fields in Pilar, teams must be at least 16 goals, and it is open to players 4 goals and above. The tournament is limited to eight teams. If more than eight teams enter, the seven highest-rated teams qualify and the remaining teams will play a qualifier, with the winner taking the eighth spot.

The Cámara De Diputados Cup kicks off on Nov. 8. It will also be played in Pilar and is for teams 24 goals and up. Five teams will come from the qualifier tournament, joining the 11 best teams from the Municipalidad de Pilar Cup.

The Argentine Open is set to begin Nov. 10 with the final scheduled for Dec. 11. Two days after the final, teams representing Argentina, England and the United States will play for the Nations Cup.

128th Argentine Open

Group A

Ellerstina: 39

Facundo Pieres: 10

Hilario Ulloa: 10

Gonzalo Pieres Jr.: 9

Nicolás Pieres: 10

La Dolfina: 38

Adolfo Cambiaso: 10

Francisco Elizalde: 9

David Stiring Jr.: 10

Diego Cavanagh: 9

La Ensenada: 33

Juan Britos Jr.: 9

Alfredo Bigatti: 8

Juan M. Zubía: 8

Jerónimo del Carril: 8

La Irenita: 31

Santiago Loza: 8

Segundo Bocchino: 7

Ignacio Toccalino: 8

Isidro Strada: 8

Group B

Murus Sanctus: 39

Facundo Sola: 9

Guillermo Caset Jr.: 10

Pablo Mac Donough: 10

Juan Martin Nero: 10

La Natividad: 36

Camilo Castagnola: 9

Polito Pieres: 9

Bartolomé Castagnola Jr.: 9

Ignatius du Plessis: 9

La Dolfina Brava: 33

Poroto Cambiaso: 8

Guillermo Terrera Jr.: 9

Rodrigo Ribiero de Andrade: 8

Alejo Taranco: 8

Alegría: 28

Agustín Merlos: 7

Pedro Zacharías: 7

Tomás García del Río: 7

Frederick Mannix Jr.: 7