The English season is at a high, with a competitive Queen’s Cup having just come to an end, and the Royal Windsor, which sees twenty-three teams in competition, in the decisive stages.
Off the field, several meetings between players and directors of the Argentine Association of Polo have taken place over the last few weeks with the aim of discussing the format of the Argentine Triple Crown. At the same time, it seems increasingly likely that some patrons will sue the HPA for recent accidents derived from the use of the new helmets, which were enforced by the governing body this year. Consequently, players and the HPA will come to an agreement over the course of the week which will allow players to use their choice of helmet. There will also be a meeting on June 28 to discuss several topics, such as the proposal put forth by the AAJP (Association of Argentine Polo Players) regarding visas and work permits for players of all nationalities and general members of the polo community.
It has been agreed that the Argentine Triple Crown will be played in the following manner:
TORTUGAS OPEN: The inaugural tournament of the Triple Crown would kick off on September 25. The format of the competition will differ from previous editions. The eight teams which have automatically qualified for the Championship as a result of their 2017 ranking (La Dolfina, Ellerstina, Las Monjitas, La Irenita, Cría Yatay, La Aguada, La Dolfina Polo Ranch, and La Albertina Abu Dhabi) will compete. The tournament will work off direct elimination. The competition will begin with four matches, similar to a quarterfinal set-up. The winners will advance to the semifinals, and the losers will play the Subsidiary Cup. It seems as if Tortugas Country Club has been named as the host of tournament for the time being.
HURLINGHAM OPEN: Despite there being an expected change regarding the format of play (last year’s format was greatly criticised), players have decided that Hurlingham should be played in the same way as it was last season. The location has not been confirmed as of yet.
-ARGENTINE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: The Open at Palermo marks the apex of the international season. This year’s tournament will once again see ten teams in competition and the format will be the same as it was in 2017. The only difference is that it will come to an end a couple of weeks later; this is due to the G20 Summit which will be held in Buenos Aires towards the end of November. Polo will be directly affected on November 30 and December 1, so the possibility of hosting the Open matches on Sunday, December 2 and Monday, December 3 is being discussed. The final will be played on December 15th.
-QUALIFICATION: The deadline for putting forward a team to play the Qualification tournament for Hurlingham and Palermo has been extended to June 30. There are currently seven teams registered to play. The format of play will be announced once the total number of teams has been confirmed.
-HANDICAPS: A topic which always causes controversy at the end of the Argentine season regards changes in handicaps. While it has not been decided how handicap changes will be introduced, it is clear that the way in which handicap modifications are defined will be seriously analysed.
Lastly, there is a strong chance that the Argentine Association of Polo will decide to nullify the ruling which made foreign players pay a determined fee in order to partake in Argentine tournaments, be they AAP competitions or private ones. In 2017, English players had to play 42.500 pesos (approximately USD 2.500 at the time) to play private tournaments and 85.000 pesos (approximately USD 5.000) to play tournaments organised by the AAP.