There’s still a long and winding road to September; but on Tuesday April 21, the Argentine Association of Polo (AAP) unveiled the dates and the lineups due to play the upcoming 2026 Triple Crown in Argentina, composed by the Hurlingham Open, Tortugas Open and Argentine Open. The Triple Crown will kick off on Tuesday September 22, with the first match of the Hurlingham Open and will come to an end on Saturday December 12, with the most awaited final of the year, the Argentine Open at Palermo.
The eight teams that will play the Triple Crown are La Natividad La Dolfina, the current Triple Crown holders; Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufu, runner up in Tortugas and Palermo; La Hache Polo Team and La Ensenada. In the meantime, 2026 will see the return to the Triple Crown of Camilo Bautista’s Las Monjitas, after a seven years absence, as well as two newcomers – Hiper Polo Club and Haras San Pedro. Last but not least, there’s a very well known foursome, although with a different name – Don Ercole, the lineup that won the playoff last year over La Zeta Kazak. In 2025 they played under the name of La Aguada Don Ercole.
With regards to the Torneo Clasificatorio por las Copas Remonta y Veterinaria (Qualification Tournament) the AAP announced that the two teams who qualify won’t play the Argentine Open only, as happened until last year. Instead, they will be eligible to play the Tortugas Open, as well. Therefore, this will increase the number of matches – 52 in total, eight more than the usual 44.
The Qualification will see eight teams in searching for the two coveted spots – La Irenita, La Zeta Kazak, La Dolfina II, Velay, La Ensenada II, La Dolfina III, La Irenita II and La Matera.
The format of this highly competitive tournament will see teams split in two leagues made of four teams, each. The matchdates are due on Thursday September 24, Monday September 28 and Friday October 2. League winners will qualify to the two tournaments.
2026 TRIPLE CROWN IN ARGENTINA
- 133rd. Hurlingham Open – The Ayrshire Cup
September 22-October 3
Quarter finals: Tuesday September 22 & Wednesday September 23.
Semifinals: Saturday September 26 & Sunday September 27.
Drysdale Subsidiary final: Thursday October 3.
Final Hurlingham Open: Saturday October 3
- 86th. Tortugas Open – Copa Emilio de Anchorena Cup
October 6-November 7
First & second matchdate: Tuesday October 6 & Wednesday October 7.
Third and fourth matchdate: Saturday October 10 & Sunday October 11.
Fifth and sixth matchdate: Saturday October 17 & Sunday October 18.
Seventh and eighth matchdate: Saturday October 24 & Sunday October 25.
Ninth and tenth matchdate: Saturday October 31 & Sunday November 1.
Final: Saturday November 7.
- 133rd. Argentine Polo Open
November 10-December 12
First & second matchdate: Tuesday November 10 & Wednesday November 11.
Third & fourth matchdate: Saturday November 14 & Sunday November 15.
Fifth & Sixth matchdate: Saturday November 21 & Sunday November 22.
Seventh & Tenth matchdate: Satuday November 18 & Sunday November 29.
Ninth & Tenth matchdate: Saturday December 5 & Sunday December 6.
Final: Saturday December 12.
2026 TRIPLE CROWN IN ARGENTINA – TEAMS
La Natividad La Dolfina: Camilo Castagnola 10, Adolfo Cambiaso Jr. 10, Adolfo Cambiaso 10, Bartolomé Castagnola Jr. 10. Total: 40.
Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú: Facundo Pieres 10, Antonio Heguy 9, Gonzalo Pieres Jr. 9, Cruz Heguy 9. Total: 37.
Las Monjitas: Rufino Bensadón 8, Lucas Monteverde Jr. 9, David Stirling 9, Juan M. Nero 9. Total: 35.
La Hache Polo Team: Hilario Ulloa 9, Carlos María Ulloa 8, Benjamín Panelo 8, Tomás Panelo 9. Total: 34.
La Ensenada: Juan Britos 8, Diego Cavanagh 8, Juan Martín Zubía 9, Jerónimo del Carril 8. Total: 33.
Híper Polo Club: Victorino Ruiz Jorba 8, Gonzalo Ferrari 8, Francisco Elizalde 9, Teodoro Lacau 8. Total. 33.
Haras San Pedro: Bautista Bayugar 8, Alfredo Bigatti 8, Ignacio Laprida 8, Joaquín Pittaluga 8. Total: 32.
Don Ercole: Facundo Cruz Llosa 8, Kristos Magrini 7, Pedro Zacharias 8, Felipe Vercellino 8. Total: 31.
TORNEO CLASIFICATORIO COPAS REMONTA Y VETERINARIA (QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENT) – TEAMS
La Irenita: Pablo Pieres 9, Paco de Narváez 8, Pablo Mac Donough 10, Matías Mac Donough Jr. 7. Total: 34.
La Zeta Kazak: Lorenzo Chavanne 8, Beltrán Laulhé 8, Guillermo Caset 9, Nicolás Pieres 8. Total: 33.
La Dolfina II: Lucas Criado Jr. 8, Mariano González Jr. 8, Isidro Strada 8, Ignatius du Plessis 8. Total: 32.
Velay: Felipe Miguens 6, Félix Esaín 7, Facundo Sola 8, Alfredo Cappella Barabucci 8. Total: 29.
La Ensenada II: José Riglos 7, Segundo Bocchino 7, Matías Torres Zavaleta 8, Simón Prado 7. Total: 29.
La Matera: Santiago Cernadas 7, Guillermo Terrera 8, Santos Merlos 7, Jared Zenni 7. Total: 29.
La Dolfina III: Ricardo Garrós Jr. 7, Ignacio Viana 7, Alejo Taranco 7, Jesse Bray 7. Total: 28.
La Irenita II: Santiago Loza 7, Federico Panzillo 7, Martín Podestá 7, Jacinto Crotto 7. Total: 28.