By Alejandra Ocampo
The 2022 Argentine Triple Crown is providing many unforgettable moments! It started with an extraordinary Tortugas Open final between La Natividad and Ellerstina, and today, on Saturday, October 29, the final of 129° Hurlingham Open, the second leg the most coveted polo trophy in the world, was even more exciting. La Irenita Grand Champions and La Dolfina went head to head on the Lewis Lacey Ground, at the Hurlingham Club, but in the end, La Dolfina came out on top to claim a narrow 13-12 win and the title.
Beyond the result, the match made history, as Adolfo Cambiaso added an extra milestone to his long and extremely successful career by winning his first Triple Crown title alongside his son, 16-year old Poroto. It was an important game for La Irenita, the team commanded by Pablo Mac Donough, as well, having reached a final in their debut Triple Crown, with this lineup, and presenting battle to one of the greatest teams in polo history.
In terms of the match, the first chukka ended with a slight advantage for La Dolfina Saudi, who took command of the next two episodes, securing an impressive 6-1 lead by the end of the third chukka. In the last minutes of the third, Juan Britos scored a goal for La Irenita, changing the flow of the match as from then on La Irenita narrowed the gap down to one goal (6-7), courtesy of Pablo MacDonough (1) and Juan MartÃn ZubÃa (3).
La Dolfina Saudi were back in the game after half time, however, scoring four consecutive goals in two chukkas to secure a 12-7 lead by the end of the sixth chukka. La Irenita fought back again in the seventh, with goals by Juan MartÃn ZubÃa and Fran Elizalde, which meant that La Dolfina Saudi were only up by two goals (12-9) with only one chukka left. A spectacular goal by Poroto Cambiaso in the first minute of the last chukka seemed to mark the beginning of the end, but La Irenita stepped up to take control of the match. Juan MartÃn ZubÃa came through to score three unanswered goals, pushing for an extra chukka. His efforts failed to pay off, however, as La Dolfina Saudi were 13-12 up when the final bell rang.
A very well deserved champion, a contender who gave their best, and a remarkable final–that’s what the 129th Hurlingham Open final gave us, setting us up perfectly for the much anticipated 129th Argentine Open, due to start in just a couple of days. Fasten your seatbelts, polo fans, and get ready for the last leg of the season!
The 129th Hurlingham Open saw eight teams, between 29 and 39 goals, compete.
129th HURLINGHAM OPEN – FINAL – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29:
LA DOLFINA SAUDI 13-12 LA IRENITA GRAND CHAMPIONS
La Dolfina Saudi: Adolfo Cambiaso 10 (1 goal), David Stirling 10 (2), Adolfo Cambiaso 9 (8, 6 penalties), Juan MartÃn Nero 10 (2). Total: 39.
La Irenita Grand Champions: Juan Britos 9 (2 penalties), Francisco Elizalde 9 (2), Pablo Mac Donough 10 (1), Juan MartÃn ZubÃa 8 (7, 4 penalties and 1 corner). Total: 36.
Score La Dolfina Saudi: 2-1, 6-1, 6-2, 7-6, 8-6, 12-7, 12-9, 13-12.
Umpires: MartÃn Pascual & Gonzalo López Vargas.
Third man: José Ignacio Araya.
Javier Novillo Astrada & Fly Polo MVP Award: Juan MartÃn Nero.
Fair Play Award: Juan MartÃn Nero.
BPP Daniel Kearney Cup (Hurlingham Club):Â Dolfina Roxy, ridden by Adolfo Cambiaso.
Best Polo Argentino Bred, presented by the Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Assn.:Â Dolfina B06 Cuartetera Clone, ridden by Adolfo Cambiaso.
IMAGES:
129th Hurlingham Open, Final – La Dolfina Saudi vs. La Irenita Grand Champions
129th Hurlingham Open – Fixture & Teams