Some picked videos and photos

In spanish presentation (with 14 seconds espn ad starting) with videos from the 2011 Argentine Polo Open


From day 1:




From day 2:

Great polo weekend! matchs 3 and 4

Buenos aires weather

Both days where played under a really warm weather, partially cludy with high humidity, so you can imagine how it was in the fields.

Due that it didn't rain as told by the national service, so the fields a little hard and drier but better conditions to play polo than the previous games.


Day 3 Saturday

La Aguada 7, Chapa Uno 9

The surprise of this Open came in field 2, when Chapa Uno won over the Novillos Astrada team La Aguada in an undescribable game that made La Dolfina's way to the semifinals all lot easier

This result will speed Miguel N Astrada's recovery and as told he will play next game against La Dolfina (replacing Toccalino)

La Aguada is not the same with the inclusion of Toccalino (that plays very well) but the brothers needs to play with Miguel to be the solid team that made them won the Argentine Open years ago.

They still been unlucky but the next step is La Dolfina and will be decisive to mantain their handicaps.

La Dolfina 20, Pilará 7

The crowd was waiting debut on field 1 of the Dream Team, and as the result shows it appeared in full, with a symphony of great polo and the impression that this is the real team to beat this year.

They played like they been playing with a Playstation comand, playing their game of open and run polo (a lot different from the Cambiasso's way handling the ball of years before)

La Dolfina is a real team, that any players can score, and in my opinion is playing better every new game

Its really interesting to see how the players positin as one of them is the laucher of the attack, also the horses (that are not in their pinacle in this stage !) make the diference in the field 1.

La Dolfina ans Ellerstina are teams that are well suited for the Argentine Open but mainly for the field 1 ("The Cathedral") by the quality of their players but also the quality of their horses.

MVP in my opinion was Pablo Mac Donough, an exemple of positioning and timing

La Cuartetera (one of the best polo horses of the world) played a few minutes only

Day 4 Sunday

Estancia Grande 19 vs. Alegría 17

In the best game of the day thanks to the loyalty of both teams Estancia Grande with a narrow final chukkas that also shows its potential that can harm Ellerstina's way to the semifinals beware!

Estancia Grande can make great things in the Argentine Open today and mostly in the days to come, because they know how to play the Open (becuse the experience of all their players) and they have the horses to play against anyone but the most important thing in my opinion the will to play this game, and are thirsty and have courage! (this match they where losing in the 6th chukka 11-16 and won with a strike of 8-1 in the last ones -amazing!-).

Estancia Grande played with Juan Ignacio Merlos (Goals Hcp: 8) replacing his brother Sebastian, out for one game, due to his 4th yellow card in this season.

Ellerstina 21 vs. Indios Chapaleufú II 14

The black beaty made it again!

Its the only team that could play as even to the La Dolfina' s game in the year Argentine Open.

Ignacio played as number 4 again (as in Tortugas) and played better than before in this new version of Ellerstina, against the team he used to play (his family). He also played a lot easier when he could be left free to score 6 times!

The team apperared for the first time this year in field 1 and played its best polo game of the year against an Indios Chapaleufu that couldn't stop the variety of quality shown by Ellerstina due maninly on their best horses (that also are so many!, as an exemple Facundo had Easy Go as replacement!)

MVP of the game in my opinion Ignacio Heguy

Facundo played as Cambiasso in old times been the lauchers the strategist and the scorer but could harm his horses for the next steps

The horses in their best, but a little thin, in my opinion beware of this, Dont squeeze the lemon dry, said one on the best TB trainers in history!!

Scorers of the match:

Ellerstina: Facundo Pieres, 7 goals:1 penalty, Nicolas Pieres; 5, Gonzalo Pieres Jr. 3 asn Ignacio Hegut 6 goals

Indios Ch. II : Alberto Heguy Jr. 0 goals, Alejandro Novillo Astrada 2, Julio Arellano 4 and Eduardo Heguy 8: 6 penalties

Another remark, could Nicolas play as number 4 against La Dolfina?, he poses the courage and the will to run and anticipate the players lauched in attack better than Ignacio (that shawn his best performance in years in this game in the position of number 3 player, but this must be done now!, it cant been done in the final ...

Next weekends, you must be here!

If you have some time come to Buenos Aires, and have a great moment..., Sunny days and great polo will take away all financial sorrow (you cant do nothing to stop the decline of the markets), use this golden rule: buy gold and come to Argentina!, we have food, nice peolpe, a lovely city and in the following weeks the best polo in the world, what else do you need ?

Next games for this Zone A next Saturday,
Field 2 at 01.45 PM: La Aguada vs. Chapa Uno, its a nice match to come after eating some argentine steaks in nearby Cañitas
Field 1 at 4.45 PM: La Dolfina vs. Pilara, you must be there you love the game!!


Next games for this Zone B next Sunday,
Field 2 at 01.45 PM: Estancia Grande vs. Alegria, very nice match with great players both sides
Field 1 at 4.45 PM: Ellerstina vs. Indios Chapaleufu II, you must be there for the black synphony!

Estancia Grande 18 vs. Indios Chapaleufu II 13

A new contender appeared in this Zone B: Estancia Grande

Beware Ellerstina, these guys real know the game and they can give them more than a headache!

Yellow card for Sebastian Merlos (and his 4th could lose a game) could damage the team as contender for the crown

Weather: cloudy and high humidity

Rough game (spot many times by injuries of the players), played in old argentine style, Estancia Grande (new team that play with very well known argentine polo players), had an extra quality in their horses than Indios Chapaleufu II.

Goals Estancia Grande: Agustin Merlos 7:6 penalties, Lucas Monteverde 5, Sebastian Merlos 1 and Bartolome Castagnola 5
Indios Chap. II Albeto Heguy 2:1 penalty, Alejandro Novillo Astrada 2, Julio Arellano (USA) 3 and Eduardo Heguy 6 all penalties.

MVP (in my opinion): Was Lucas Monteverde (9 goals Hcp.) , that apperared in total in the crucial moments of the game given and aid to the difence and strongly projected in attack.

Julio Arellano (USA) played very well to be his first time in field 1 but in my opinion stil, needs a more solid pack of horses to play the Open.

Ellerstina vs. Alegria Final score 20 - 17

Nice game

Openly played

High humidity

Facundo playing as usual

Third chk. Ellerstina 7 - Alegria 5

Fourth chk. 9 - 8
De Narvaez Jr. motor of the team Alegria ( 0 fouls) that plays its game Ellerstina ( 4 fouls: 3 Nicolas P) loosing their plan

Fifth chk 11 - 9
Aguerre´s plan to slow down Ellerstina pace is working, he lost 2 goals in a row incredible!, but Ellerstina through Gonzalo still survives

Sixth chk. 14 -12
Ellerstina better back on on their way 2 quick goals
Alegria on their plan to dont give any foul/penalities

Seventh chk. . 17 - 15
Running is my game
Ellertina everything out!! dominate the field with quality
Nico P out of focus
Mannix Jr. 2 goals playing his best given an aid to Aguerre

Last chk. 20 - 17
Facundo on his best he practically imposble to follow in the last 2 chks

Polo Confirmed by AAP for Sunday

The argentine service informed that no more heavy rains are forecast for today, after yesterdays heavy rains in the Buenos Aires area that started in the final chukkas of the second game, due to the lack of rains of the precedent days I can expect to have polo today at Palermo.

Some players yesterday told that the field was in perfect condition but dry, that didnt give good grip for the horses( a couple fall down by this reason, but with no injuries).

I have confirmation for today match by the AAP.

Todays matchs are (for Zone B):

Match 3 : Ellerstina vs. Alegria, that starts at 01.45 PM
Ellertina with Ignacio Heguy as number 3 and Gonzalo as back (new disposition! ) plays against a difficult team (with experince and good horse specially in Aguerre and De Narvaez), but will be nice to see Ellerstina again with this new formation, with the excelence of their players and horses.

Match 4 : Estancia Grande vs. Indios Chapaleufu II, starts at 4.45 PM
Indios Ch. II is back again for its 27th time in the Argetnine Open a lot more madure now (obviously!) but with the new blood of Alejandro Novillo Astrada and Julio Arellano (after the depart of Ignacio Heguy to Ellertina) but infront will be the challenger for this zone B, Estancia Grande that posses the will and the caracter to play their best polo in the field 1 of Palermo (thats not easy!), if so it could be a nice match to attend and find a clue to see if they can stop Ellerstina!.

Matchs 1 and 2 La Dolfina and La Aguada won

2011 Argentine Open Season, begins these results:

La Dolfina 23 - Chapa Uno 10
Goals for La Dolfina : A Cambiaso Jr.(played all game) 9 goals: 6 penalties and 1 corner, Stirling 3 Mac Donough 4 and Nero 7 : 2 penalties


La Aguada 11 - Pilara 10
In very narrow game - until the last minute, Pilara could equalize
Miguel Novillo Astrada didnt played (possible out for the season) and Toccalino started with the other Novillo Astrada brothers (he saved the equalizer goal in the last minute near the goal line)
Pilara played better that La Aguada and in my opinion is one of the best new teams in the Argetine Open.
La Aguada won with nothing more than a goal, but in the next games they will face the lack of "Open style" horses, Pilara dominate that item.

In my opinion the MVP was Hilario Ulloa, the next polo super star, with a little pacience he could score at least 4 goals more...

This time luck was in the La Aguada side... but needs more to beat La Dolfina

Goals: La Aguada: Javier 4 all penalties, Toccalino 3, Eduardo 1 and Ignacio 3 : 1 penalty.
Pilara: Ulloa 3 Heguy 4: 1 penalty and Tonlinson 3 all penalties.
Some light rains started in the last chukkas

Weather forcast shows heavy rains for this night, possible suspension for the games this Sunday

2011 the real season starts

After some months off, Im back to give my view upon the 2011 Argentine polo season.

As told the first gems where played, Tortugas won by Ellerstina and Hurlingham won by La Dolfina, in very strange matchs where La Dolfina for moments dominate for more than 6 goals.

Both tournaments where won by a narrow difference of only one goal for the joy of all how attend.

The conclusion are:

Both tournaments are like a warm-up session for the real big event, that is the Argentine Open.

The teams in Tortugas are meeting for the first time in the field, after the internationals seasons and its played with the second and third lot of their polo horses, so it can explain the difficulties for the players to adapt again to the rythm and speed of polo as played here in Argentina.

Hurlingham is played with little differences, like Tortugas, but includes some the best polo horses but for some minutes (In the last chukka of the Final "La Cuartetera" appeared and shows her amazing speed and ability to play this sport with A. C. Jr.).

This Saturday, the 2011 Argentine Opens starts, with the following matchs:

Field 2: LA Dolfina vs. Chapa UNO (Zone A)
The game starts at 01,45 PM (Bue time), but is a nice hour too have lunch nearby in Las Cañitas, and be at Palermo for the last chukkas.

Adolfo Cambiasso Jr. is with an injured ribs, so its posible that he will decide to play or not depending to how he feels, but I can anticipate that he will play, and if his team goes well he will ask for change, I inform any news...


After this match, in Field 1 : La Aguada vs. Pilara (Zone A) that will start at 4.45 PM.
The Novillo Astrada Brothers are here again! waiting for some luck (as not present in the previously years) so it will be nice to see how their horses are shape for the tournament (that was also a problem in recent years), they are like the old boxing champ that haves a new possibility for the title, they are the real worriors of this sport.
All depends on their horses and a little help from the gods...

La Aguada's could find resisitance if Pilara is confident, its a very interesting young new team with the great Bautista Heguy among them, hoping to see a great match here!