As it’s been happening in the last six years, the final of the Women’s Argentine Open takes place prior of the Argentine Polo Open. The seventh edition of the ladies tournament saw the clash of double title holders, La Dolfina, and El Overo Z7 UAE. It is worth to note that all the six titles have been split between both lineups. La Dolfina, who won the tournament four times, remained with the same lineup that claimed the title in 2022, while El Overo Z7 UAE went back to the championship match after one year absence. The latter were victorious twice.
El Overo Z7 UAE and La Dolfina played a remarkable first chukka, that remained tied until the last minute, when Izzy Parsons produced a goal that gave the former a 3-2 lead. In the second chukka, El Overo Z7 UAE outscored La Dolfina 4-o, with goals by Millie Hine (2) and Hazel Jackson and were 7-2 up. Although La Dolfina tried to get closer in the scoreboard in the third chukka, El Overo Z7 UAE were merciless – by half time they had a 9-5 advantage.
A determined La Dolfina foursome presented battle in the fourth chukka; halfway in that chukka, they produced enough goals to reduce the gap to just one goal (9-10). But Millie Hine, El Overo’s most outstanding player, scored three unanswered goals.
Millie Hine and Hope Arellano secured a 16-11 lead in the fifth chukka, that made things quite difficult to the La Dolfina girls. And despite La Dolfina managed to convert three penalties, El Overo Z7 UAE only needed one more goal, courtesy of the remarkable Millie Hine, to have the deal said and done. El Overo Z7 UAE claimed a 17-14 win that secured their third and much deserved title. In addition, it was the first time that a team composed by four non-Argentine players (three from England, Hazel Jackson, Millie Hine and Izzy Parsons; and one American, Hope Arellano) are victorious in the most important ladies tournament in Argentina, at Palermo.
Beyond the result, one thing is for certain – El Overo Z7 UAE and La Dolfina played one of the best finals in the history of the Women’s Argentine Open, and also the one with the most goals scored – a total of 31.
VII WOMEN’S ARGENTINE OPEN – FINAL – SUNDAY DECEMBER 3
EL OVERO Z7 UAE 17-14 LA DOLFINA
El Overo Z7 UAE: Hope Arellano 9 (3 goals, one Penalty 1), Isabelle Parsons 9 (2, one Penalty 1), Hazel Jackson 9 (4). Millie Hine 8 (8, five penalties). Total: 35.
La Dolfina: MÃa Cambiaso 8 (1 goal), Milagros Fernández Araujo 8 (1), Carina Clarkin 10, Candelaria Fernández Araujo 9 (12, ten penalties). Total: 35.
Score El Overo Z7 UAE:Â 3-2, 7-2, 9-5, 14-9, 16-11, 17-14.
Umpires: Federico Martelli & MartÃn Aguerre.                      Third man: Hernán Tasso.
AWARDS PERSENTATION
MVP:Â Millie Hine.
Top scorer: Candelaria Fernández Araujo.
Rookie: Hope Arellano.
Fair Play Award:Â Nina Clarkin.
BPP Award presented by the AAP: Lamore Que IronÃa, ridden by MÃa Cambiaso.
Best Polo Argentino Bred, presented by the Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Assn.: Don Ercole Cruz de Malta, ridden by Hope Arellano.
Best mounted player:Â Hope Arellano.
IMAGES
VII Women’s Argentine Open, Final – El Overo Z7 UAE vs. La Dolfina
VII WOMEN’S ARGENTINE OPEN: Fixture & Teams