First Triple Crown title for Hilario Ulloa’s organisation
La Hache Polo Team won their first Argentine Triple Crown title, narrowly defeating Ellerstina UAE Yellow Rose 14-13 in The 84th Tortugas Open Final on Friday 1 November. The match, held at Tortugas Country Club, ended with a crucial goal by Tomás Panelo, scored 18 seconds into the additional 30 seconds of play, breaking a 13-13 tie and sealing the victory.
La Hache had come close to a Triple Crown title before, reaching the Finals of The Hurlingham and Tortugas Opens in 2023, while for Ellerstina this would have been their 14th Tortugas Open title which would have made them the tournament’s most successful team with titles in 1992, 1994, 1995, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Both teams played a tight game, with La Hache generally leading on the scoreboard. By half-time, La Hache held a 7-5 advantage, but Ellerstina fought back, outscoring La Hache 3-1 in the fifth chukka to momentarily take an 8-7 lead. The game saw numerous ties, including a 10-10 draw in the sixth chukka.
Entering the eighth and final chukka, La Hache held a 13-10 lead, bolstered by goals from Hilario Ulloa, Panelo, and Fran Elizalde. However, Ellerstina rallied, with two goals from Sapo Caset and one from Lukin Monteverde to level the score at 13-13. Caset, the match’s top scorer with nine goals, also finished the tournament as the leading scorer with 37 goals.
The contest looked set for extra time, but Panelo’s goal in the final seconds clinched the win for La Hache, marking a historic first Triple Crown title for Ulloa’s organisation, just a day before the start of The HSBC 131st Argentine Open. For Panelo, also named Most Valuable Player, this was a momentous win as he scored the winning goal which secured hm his first ever Triple Crown title.
Jazz Fragata, played by Sapo Caset, received the AAP Award for Best Plying Pony in the Final and Dolfina Clota, played by Polito Pieres, received the AACCP Award for Best Registered Player Product of the Argentine Polo Breed.
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The 84th Tortugas Open Final Teams:
La Hache (36): Polito Pieres (9), Hilario Ulloa (9), Francisco Elizalde (9) & Tomás Panelo (9)
Ellerstina UAE Yellow Rose (35): Guillermo Caset (9), Lukin Monteverde (8), Gonzalito Pieres (9) & Ignatius du Plessis (9)
Photograph: La Hache, winners of The 84th Tortugas Open. By Matías Callejo / AAP Press