It is a clean sweep. On Sunday 7 December, La Natividad La Dolfina beat Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú 17-13 in the final of the 132nd Argentine Open at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Palermo, and with it they completed the Triple Crown.
The final
The scoring was shared across the team. Camilo Castagnola was the top scorer with six goals, Poroto Cambiaso added five, and Adolfo Cambiaso and Bartolomé Castagnola scored three each. For Ellerstina, Facundo Pieres scored five, Gonzalo Pieres four, Cruz Heguy three and Antonio Heguy one. It was Ellerstina’s first Palermo final since 2020.
- La Natividad La Dolfina: Camilo Castagnola, Adolfo Cambiaso, Poroto Cambiaso, Bartolomé Castagnola
- Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú: Facundo Pieres, Gonzalo Pieres, Antonio Heguy, Cruz Heguy
It was La Natividad La Dolfina’s third Triple Crown since the two clubs merged. They had won the Hurlingham Open 12-9 over UAE Polo and the Tortugas Open 12-11 over Ellerstina, so Palermo completed a perfect set.
The semi-finals
The route to the final was not easy. On 2 December, in the first semi-final, La Natividad La Dolfina beat UAE Polo 16-14. The score was 13-13 going into the last chukka, and with about three minutes left, Camilo Castagnola scored twice, once from a team passing move and once through an individual run, to win the match. Polito Pieres scored eight for UAE Polo, with Tomás Panelo adding four.
In the second semi-final on Thursday, Ellerstina beat La Irenita La Hache 13-12 to reach the final.
A season to remember
The merged team has had a season of dominance, with the three Triple Crown titles as the centrepiece. It is a remarkable achievement for a team of four who all hold the maximum handicap. Adolfo Cambiaso, who also won the C.V. Whitney Cup and the U.S. Open in Florida and the Gold Cup at Cowdray in July, has had a year to match any in his long career. His son Poroto and the Castagnola brothers share in the glory.
Ellerstina, for their part, will take heart from a final in which they pushed the champions all the way, and the Pieres and Heguy families remain a force in the sport. Palermo had a worthy final.
Congratulations to La Natividad La Dolfina on a historic season.
Sources: Polo School Argentina, La Natividad La Dolfina conquers Palermo, La Nación, semi-final report, ESPN Deportes, Palermo final
