It’s the final countdown for the first leg of the 2024 Triple Crown in Argentina. The first semifinal of the 131st. Hurlingham Open took place on Saturday September 28, at Palermo, saw La Natividad and La Hache – last year’s runner up – going head-to-head, in the battle for the first place in the championship match.
La Natividad and La Hache played a very hard fought and tight contest until the fifth chukka, with both teams on each other’s tails, and exchanging the lead. By the end of the fifth chukka, they were tied at 7-all. The story would change from the sixth chukka onwards, when LA Natividad, led by the indomitable Jets Castagnola, who produced eight goals, went 10-8 ahead. Although La Hache put pressure in the seventh – they outscored their contenders 2-1 to remain one goal behind (10-11) with one chukka left, but La Natividad bounced back in the last period with three unanswered goals to claim a 14-11 win, and the first spot in the final of the first leg of the Triple Crown.
It’s worth to notice that La Natividad had the rematch of the 2023 Hurlingham Open semifinal, when they were beaten by La Hache.
Earlier in the morning, Cria La Dolfina defeated La Hache Cria & Polo 16-14, and advanced to the final of the Subsidiary Drysdale Cup.
The second finalist of the 131st. Hurlingham Open will be revealed on Sunday September 29. The order of play is the following:
- Semifinal #2 Subsidiary Drysdale Cup (Pilar)
11am: Indios Chapaleufu vs. La Ensenada
- Semifinal #2 Hurlingham Open (Palermo)
4pm: La Dolfina Saudi vs. Ellerstina
The final of the 131st. Hurlingham Open is set to be played on Saturday October 5.
131° Hurlingham Open – Fixture & Teams
Cover photo by Matías Callejo.