It could be accurate to say that the 2024 Gauntlet of Polo has been a family affair. Following the semifinals for the US Open Polo Championship, that took place on Wednesday April 17, at the National Polo Center, in Wellington, Florida, La Dolfina and Valiente qualified to the championship match of the most prestigious tournament in the United States and the highlight of the series. This means that The Gauntlet of Polo will see the clash between father and son for the third consecutive time – Valiente’s Adolfo Cambiaso, and La Dolfina’s Poroto Cambiaso. And in addition, one thing is for certain – whoever may win, the coveted silver cup of the US Open will travel to Cañuelas.
In the first semifinal, played in the morning, La Dolfina defeated Coca Cola 13-11; it’s worth to notice that La Dolfina and Coca Cola already played against each other during the league stage, on March 31, with the former victorious. In the follow-up, Valiente beat Pilot 9-6. Despite there were only a handful of goals, Valiente had no trouble at all to dominate the match and the scoreboard thoroghout the six chukkas of play.
La Dolfina and Valiente already secured one tournament each – Valiente claimed the CV Whitney Cup, and the USPA Gold Cup went to La Dolfina, who played under the name La Dolfina Tonkawa.
US OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP – SEMIFINALS – WEDNESDAY APRIL 17
SEMIFINAL #1 – LA DOLFINA 13-11 COCA COLA
La Dolfina: Alejandro Aznar 0 Rufino Merlos 3 (2 goals), Poroto Cambiaso 10 (5), Tomás Panelo 9 (6). Total: 22.
Coca Cola: Gillian Johnston 0 (1 goal), Kristos Magrini 6 (3), Polito Pieres 9 (6), Torito Ruiz 7 (1). Total: 22.
Score La Dolfina: 1-1, 5-2, 6-4, 10-5, 12-8, 13-11.
Umpires: Julian Appleby & Martín Pascual. Third man: Kimo Huddleston.
SEMIFINAL #2 – VALIENTE 9-6 PILOT
VALIENTE: Joaquín Vilgré Lamadrid, 0, Peke González 7 (4 goals), Paco de Narvaez 5 (3), Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (2). Total: 22.Total: 22.
PILOT: Curtis Pilot 0, Antonio Heguy 6 (4 goals), Santiago Torres 6 , Facundo Pieres 10 (2). Total: 22.
Score Valiente: 0-1, 2-1, 5-1, 7-2, 8-3, 9-6.
Umpires: Héctor Galindo & Jamie Mirikitani. Third man: Gastón Lucero.
The US Open Polo Championship will come to an end on Sunday April 21, with the much anticipated championship match between La Dolfina and Valiente, due at the National Polo Center, at 4pm.