It’s that time of the year again! Just a couple of days after the final of the 85th. Tortugas Open, the 132nd. Argentine Polo Open Championship, the most important polo tournament worldwide, is set to commence on Saturday November 1, at Palermo, the Cathedral. Unlike the Hurlingham Open and the Tortugas Open, Palermo will see ten teams in participation – the eight highest rated teams who already played the two previous contests, joined by two more from the Qualification Tournament. The lucky ones this year are La Dolfina II and La Zeta Kazak.

It’s worth to notice that, for the first time in 10 years, there’s a potential chance for a team to capture the coveted Triple Crown. The last foursome to claim the Triple Crown was La Dolfina, back in 2015, the Fab Four lineup made of Adolfo Cambiaso, Pelón Stirling, Juanma Nero and Pablo MacDonough. Today, is La Dolfina again, but under a different name and lineup – La Natividad La Dolfina, the Cambiasos-Castagnolas, who joined forces to form an all-Cañuelas team; already with the Hurlingham Open and the Tortugas Open under their belt, they arrive to Palermo unbeaten, and with the sights on the most important polo trophy in the world. In the event it happens, Adolfo Cambiaso will remain one step behind Juan Carlitos Harriott in terms of titles won at Palermo – Cambiaso has 18 and the unforgettable Juan Carlitos 20.

And there’s more, because La Natividad La Dolfina has two defending champions within their lineup, Barto and Jeta Castagnola, who won the Argentine Open in 2023 and 2024. Therefore, the brothers will seek for their third consecutive crown at Palermo.

Another significant matter is that Pelón Stirling will be playing the Argentine Open. Pelón, who announced his retirement of the Triple Crown last year, joined La Zeta Kazak, the lineup who qualified to the Open after a memorable last match against La Aguada, in which the Uruguay-born player secured the ticket to Palermo by scoring three goals in the last chukka. Pelón made the decision as a tribute to the unforgettable and much beloved Rufo Laulhé, who was due to play for Sébastien Aguettant’s organisation with his brother Beltrán. Sadly enough, Rufo left us far too soon, at only 15-years old, in an unexpected car crash, last January. However, Beltrán won’t be in La Zeta Kazak’s debut at Palermo –  his replacement is Facundo Cruz Llosa, who is currently in competition in the Cámara de Diputados Cup, with La Aguada… in the same lineup that lost to La Zeta Kazak that last match of the qualification tournament.

So, everything is set and ready, to enjoy the most remarkable polo tournament, that will bring new teams and one in search of the Triple Crown for the first time in ten years.

THE ORDER OF PLAY OF THE FIRST MATCHDATE OF THE 132nd. ARGENTINE POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, ON SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1, IS AS FOLLOWS:

2pm: UAE vs. La Zeta Kazak

4pm: Sol de Agosto vs. Los Machitos

THE FINAL OF THE 132nd. ARGENTINE POLO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP IS DUE ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 6.