The 130th. Hurlingham Open, the first leg of the 2023 Argentine Triple Crown kicked off on Tuesday September 23 with two games played on a cloudy day and occassional drizzle. The opening day saw two games, that were played at the Argentine Association of Polo Headquarters, in Pilar. In the first contest, reigning champions, La Dolfina, with Poroto Cambiaso playing as a 10-goaler for the first time ever, claimed an impressive 22-5 win over La Irenita Clinova (with Benjamín Urquiza subbing in for the injured Matías Torres Zavaleta).
The brand new Ellerstina foursome made their debut against Cría La Dolfina. It is worth to note that brothers Gonzalito and Nicolás Pieres remained within the original lineup, and hired South Africa’s Nachi du Plessis and the young rising star, Bautista Bayugar. However, the latter was unable to play due to an injury and was replaced by Brazilian Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade. The match had a very balanced start, until the men in black seized the reins from the third chukka onwards, based on a remarkable team play led by a superb Gonzalito Pieres, who produced nine goals. Halfway the fourth chukka, Ellerstina reached a seven goal advantage; and despite Cría La Dolfina struggled to get into the score, the contest was said and done, and Ellerstina earned a 16-12 victory, that put them in semifinals.
La Dolfina and Ellerstina will play the first semifinal of the Hurlingham Open for the Ayshire Cup, and La Irenita Clinova and Cría La Dolfina will clash for the Subsidiary Drysdakle Cup. Both games are set to be played on Saturday September 30, at Palermo.
130th. HURLINGHAM OPEN – TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26
MATCH #1: LA DOLFINA 22-5 LA IRENITA CLINOVA
La Dolfina Saudi: Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (8 goals, one penalty), David Stirling 10 (5), Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. 10 (7, one penalty and one penalty 1), Juan Martín Nero 10 (2). Total: 40.
La Irenita Clinova: Facundo Fernández Llorente 8, Tomás Fernández Llorente Jr. 8 (2 goals), Benjamín Urquiza 6*, Isidro Strada 8 (3, two penalties and two corner). Total: 30.
*Subbed in for Matias Torres Zavaleta.
Score La Dolfina Saudi: 4-1, 7-1, 10-3, 16-3, 17-3, 21-3, 22-5.
Umpires: Guillermo Villanueva & Hernán Tasso. Third man: Gonzalo López Vargas.
MATCH #2: ELLERSTINA 16-12 CRIA LA DOLFINA
Ellerstina: Gonzalo Pieres Jr. 9 (9 goals, four penalties), Nicolás Pieres 9 (4, dos de penal), Rodrigo Ribeiro de Andrade 8 (1)**, Ignatius du Plessis 9 (2, one penalty). Total: 35.
**Subbed in for Bautista Bayugar.
Cría La Dolfina: Guillermo Terrera 9 (2 goals), Tomás Panelo 9 (6, one penalty and one corner), Diego Cavanagh 8 (3, two penalties), Alejo Taranco 9 (1). Total: 35.
Score Ellerstina: 2-1, 3-3, 8-4, 11-6, 13-9, 15-10,16-12.
Umpires: Gastón Lucero & Matías Baibiene. Third man: Rafael Silva.
The 130th. Hurlingham Open will resume on Wednesday September 27, with the following order of play:
1,30pm: La Natividad vs. La Hache Cría y Polo
4pm: La Hache Polo Team vs. La Ensenada.