By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
It looks set to be an interesting and exciting 2015 season in Argentina, especially with the new all-Pieres line-up on the scene. To date they have indeed proved they are a force to be reckoned with as Gonzalo, Facundo, Nico and cousin Polito – the 39 goal Ellerstina Piaget line-up took to the pitches for the final of the Jockey Club Open last weekend at the Argentine Polo Association in Pilar against Alegria – Cristian Laprida, Hilario Ulloa, Lucas Monteverde and Fred Mannix. The men in black, accessorised with gold lettering, (with Polito taking the number 1 position and Facundo playing at number 4) lifted the trophy of the first major tournament of the Argentine season, having beaten the pink shirted Alegria 21 – 16. The Gonzalo Tanoira Sportsmanship Award went to Fred Mannix and the AACCP Award for Best Playing Pony was presented to Open Iranian owned by Facundo Pieres.
Now all focus is on the Tortugas Open which started this Tuesday 29th September with Alegría facing the all-Heguy Chapaleufú team. The winners of the first match were Alegría beating Chapaleufú 15 – 11. Meaning Chapaleufú will now face La Dolfina on Saturday 3rd October and Alegría will face the might of Adolfo Cambiaso and his 40 goal team on Saturday 10th October.
Following the final of the Tortugas Open on Saturday 17th October, play will commence in the second stage of the Triple Crown – dates for the 122nd Hurlingham Open (played from 20th October to 8th November) have just been announced.
For full teams and the schedule of the Hurlingham and Tortugas Open, plus the zones for the Palermo Open see below:
122nd Campeonato Argentino Abierto HSBC (The Palermo Open)
Zone A: La Dolfina, Alegría and La Aguada, plus the Lowest Handicap team from qualification.
Zone B: Ellerstina, Las Monjitas and Chapaleufú, plus the Highest Handicap team from qualification.
122nd Hurlingham Open
Zone A: La Dolfina, Las Monjitas and La Aguada, plus the lowest handicap team through qualification.
Zone B: Ellerstina, Alegría and Chapaleufú, plus the highest handicap team through qualification.
122nd Hurlingham Open Schedule:
Tuesday 20th October (Pilar)
14.00 La Dolfina vs Qualified team (Game 1)
16.00 La Aguada vs Las Monjitas (Game 2)
Wednesday 21st October (Pilar)
14 .00 Ellerstina vs Qualified team (Game 3)
16.00 Alegría vs Chapaleufú (Game 4)
Friday 23rd October (Pilar)
14.00 Winner (2) vs Loser (1)
16.00 Winner (1) vs Loser (2)
Saturday 24th October (Pilar)
14.00 Winner (4) vs Loser (3)
16.00 Winner (3) vs Loser (4)
Saturday 31st October (Hurlingham)
14.00 Loser (2) vs Loser (1)
16.00 Winner (1) vs Winner (2)
Sunday 1st November (Hurlingham)
14.00 Loser (4) vs Loser (3)
16.00 Winner (3) vs Winner (4)
Saturday 7th November (Hurlingham)
16.00 122nd Hurlingham Open Final
Tortugas Open schedule:
Tortugas Open
Zone A: La Dolfina, Alegría and Chapaleufú
Zone B: Ellerstina, Las Monjitas and La Aguada
Tuesday, September 29th
16.00 Alegría vs. Chapaleufú
Wednesday, September 30th
16.00 La Aguada Las Monjitas vs. La Aguada
Saturday, October 3rd
16.00 La Dolfina vs. Chapaleufú
Sunday, October 4th
16.00 Ellerstina vs. Losing team of La Aguada Las Monjitas vs. La Aguada match
Saturday, October 10th
16.00 La Dolfina vs. Alegría
Sunday, October 11th
16.00 Ellerstina vs. Winning team of La Aguada Las Monjitas vs. La Aguada match
Saturday, October 17th
15.30 Tortugas Open Final (Copa Emilo de Anchorena)
Team Line-ups for Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo Opens:
La Dolfina
Adolfo Cambiaso, Jr. 10
David Stirling, Jr. 10
Pablo Mac Donough 10
Juan Martín Nero 10
Total: 40
Ellerstina
Pablo Pieres 10
Nicolás Pieres 9
Gonzalo Pieres, Jr. 10
Facundo Pieres 10
Total: 39
Alegría
Cristian Laprida, Jr. 8
Hilario Ulloa 9
Lucas Monteverde, Jr. 9
Frederick Mannix, Jr. 9
Total: 35
La Aguada Las Monjitas
Ignacio Toccalino 9
Sebastián Merlos 9
Eduardo Novillo Astrada, Jr. 9
Alejandro Novillo Astrada 8
Total: 35
La Aguada
Agustín Merlos 8
Guillermo Terrera, Jr. 8
Guillermo Caset, Jr. 9
Ignacio Novillo Astrada 9
Total: 34
Chapaleufú
Alberto Heguy, Jr. 8
Ignacio Heguy 9
Bautista Heguy 8
Eduardo Heguy 9
Total: 34
Team Line-ups in Qualifying Tournament:
Magual
Alejandro Muzzio 8
Francisco Elizalde 7
Marcos Di Paola 8
Santiago Toccalino 8
Total. 31
Washington Ghantoot
Diego Cavanagh 8
Ezequiel Martinez Ferrario 7
Facundo Sola 8
Alfredo Cappella Barabucci 8
Total: 31
Miramar
Gonzalo Deltour 7
Valerio Zubiaurre, Jr. 7
Ignacio Laprida 7
Ignatius Du Plessis 8
Total: 29
La Irenita
Juan Ruiz Guiñazu, Jr. 7
Juan Martín Zavaleta, Jr. 7
Matías Mac Donough 8
Clemente Zavaleta (grandson) 7
Total: 29
Las Rosas
Francisco Bensadón 8
Franco Gai, Jr. 6
Juan Ignacio Merlos 8
Manuel Crespo 7
Total: 29
Santa Teresa
Matías Torres Zavaleta 7
Joaquín Pittaluga 7
Guillermo Willington 7
Tomás García del Río 7
Total: 28
Cuatro Vientos
Joao Paulo Ganon 7
Salvador Ulloa 7
Alejandro Agote 8
Santiago Tanoira 6
Total: 28
http://www.hurlinghampolo.com/news/read/1921/Polo-news-from-Argentina-Hurlingham-Open-dates-are-announced-