Following the rain delay, the 132nd. Argentine Polo Open Championship, at Palermo, resumed on Wednesday December 3, with two crucial games. The first match saw the clash between La Zeta Kazak and Los Machitos, with the former in need of a win to maintain their hopes alive to remain within the main draw of the 2026 Triple Crown. The second contest was the first semifinal, La Natividad La Dolfina vs. UAE.
In the day’s opening game, La Zeta Kazak were determined to achieve their goal – a much needed win to secure a spot in the playoff against La Aguada Don Ercole, the recent winners of the Cámara de Diputados Cup. But it’s worth to notice, as well, that if La Dolfina II beat La Ensenada on Thursday December 4, La Zeta Kazak and La Ensenada must play a match between the two of them to decide the foursome who will be able to go to the playoff against La Aguada Don Ercole. This means that a win by La Zeta Kazak would have Sol de Agosto dropped from the 2026 main draw of the Triple Crown.
Thoroghout the first half, the French-Argentinian lineup were the dominant force against a Los Machitos foursome who wanted a farewell victory at Palermo. But La Zeta Kazak made things quite impossible for them, at least until the third chukka. Los Machitos bounced back in the fourth, and with goals by Torito Ruiz and Alfredo Bigatti they managed to close the gap to one goal (6-7).
However, La Zeta Kazak were back in the game from the fifth chukka onwards, seizing the reins clearly – they outscored Los Machitos 2-0, with goals by Nico Pieres and Pelon Stirling to earn a 9-6 lead. Stirling added two more goals in the sixth to secure La Zeta Kazak a five goal advantage, 11-6. And the deal was almost said and done by the end of the seventh chukka, when La Zeta Kazak claimed a 15-7 lead. Los Machitos needed a miracle to overcome the result; and although they outscored La Zeta Kazak 3-1, it was the latter that took the win home, and they are still on the run for a chance to play the 2026 Triple Crown.
La Natividad La Dolfina and UAE came up next, in the first semifinal of the Argentine Open. In a much anticipated match and with the two of them unbeaten at Palermo, La Natividad La Dolfina aimed to earn the first spot in the championship match, while UAE would attempt to avoid it. The news was that the President of Argentina, Javier Milei, attended the contest.
Polito Pieres opened the scores, but La Natividad La Dolfina replied quickly, with three unanswered goals by Adolfo Cambiaso, Jeta Castagola and Poroto Cambiaso, to claim an early 3-1 lead. By the end of the third chukka, they were 7-3 ahead, but UAE were not about to make things easy for them. In the fourth chukka, there were a whirlwind of goals – Polito Pieres and Tomás Panelo converted one penalty each to close the gap to two goals (5-7); Jeta Castagnola scored, and La Natividad La Dolfina were three goals up. But Polito Pieres produced another remarkable goal. By half time, La Natividad La Dolfina were 8-6 up.
The fifth chukka was quite similar – Juan Martín Nero picked the ball from Tomás Panelo and now the gap was reduced to just one goal. UAE almost overwhelmed La Natividad La Dolfina; even Juan Martín Nero could have tied the scores, but luck was not on their side, and once again, things turned in favour of the Cañuelas-based foursome. Poroto Cambiaso produced two goals, and La Natividad La Dolfina had a three-goal advantage. However, UAE quickly scored three unanswered goals and the gap was just one goal again (10-9).
A hard fought contest followed in the sixth and seventh chukka; with La Natividad La Dolfina struggling to battle a determined UAE foursome who remained on their tail, and with the scores that never went beyond two goals. And with three minutes left in the seventh chukka, Juan Martín Nero and Tomás Panelo scored to tie at 13-all. With only one chukka to go, Palermo was hotter than hell…
And what a thrilling last chukka! It was Tomás Panelo who ran quickly to the goalposts to secure UAE their first lead, 14-13. A new tie would come, when Poroto converted a 30 yards penalty. But one certain Jeta Castagnola became the hero of the day – two spectacular consecutive goals to seal the deal, to secure La Natividad La Dolfina a very hard fought 16-14 win, that led them to the final of the 132° Argentine Polo Open Championship.
After a tough game, on a very hot afternoon, La Natividad La Dolfina achieved their first step on their way to obtain the Triple Crown, still undefeated and with two title holders (Barto and Jeta Castagnola) within the lineup. But UAE deserves to be largely recognised for a remarkable game, for fighting hard, for never give up; they left everything in a game they only lost in the last minutes.
THE LAST MATCHDATE OF THE 132nd. ARGENTINE POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP WILL TAKE PLACE ON THURSDAY DECEMBER 4:
2pm: La Ensenada vs. La Dolfina II
4,30pm: Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufu vs. La Irenita La Hache (league decider)
THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH OF THE 12nd. ARGENTINE POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP WILL BE PLAYED ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 7 AT 4,30pm.
132nd. Argentine Polo Open Championship – Teams & Fixture
Cover photo, by Matías Callejo / Prensa AAP.