Argentine polo legend Adolfo Cambiaso adds another title at Argentine Polo Open final

Argentine polo legend Adolfo Cambiaso captained a dream team, La Natividad-La Dolfina, to the 132nd Argentine Polo Open title on Sunday, beating Ellerstina-Indios Chapaleufú 17-13. It all happened under the watchful eye of President Jaiver Milei. A self-defined polo fan, the libertarian economist wore a Cambiaso replica hat, a player he’s admitted to follow like an “obsessed fanatic.” It was going to be a tough ask for anyone to beat La Natividad-La Dolfina. The star-studded lineup combined the best players of the 2023 and 2024 finalists, La Natividad and La Dolfina. Among them were Cambiaso, his nephews Camilo and Bartolome Castagnola, and his son Adolfo Cambiaso III. With a perfect 40-goal handicap rating, the team had lived up to expectations. In polo, players are rated by an expert commission on their skill from zero to 10 goals, where zero is a novice and 10 is a world-class player. The final saw them coming off wins in the Hurlingham and Tortugas tournaments, sitting on the cusp of a triple crown and riding an 11 matches undefeated streak.  Standing across from them was another squad of combined forces: Ellerstina-Indios Chapaleufú, albeit one with a lot more to prove, as two legendary Argentine polo families joined forces. Facundo and Gonzalo Pieres Jr. of Ellerstina brought the experience, Antonio and Cruz Heguy — great-grandsons of the legendary Horacio Heguy — brought the youth. A near-instant classic game, with Milei in the stands The match started off as blow for blow affair, with both teams scoring and neither being able to pull ahead. In the stands, support was decidely in favor of underdog Ellerstina-Indios Chapaleufú. However, they grew quiet around the halfway point as La Natividad-La Dolfina went on a 9-0 scoring spree to lead the game 12-5. Ellerstina-Indios Chapaleufú pushed for a comeback, as a series of penalties allowed them to claw back to 14-12. Not even an incredible goal by Camilo Castagnola, who crossed the line hopping the ball on his cue, got the underdogs off their pace. But disaster hit Ellerstina-Indios Chapaleufú right as it looked like the match was set to be an all-time classic. Just 75 seconds into the eighth chukker, Facundo Pieres dropped to the floor after being hit, suffering a lot of pain in his right knee. He was subbed off by Brazilian Pedro Zacharias, but their push was definitely deflated. Cruz Heguy overhit a 40-yards penalty — which was conceded and then overruled after the opposition protested, under a storm of whistles by the crowd — and that was all.  La Natividad-La Dolfina stretched the advantage again and nothing could take the game away from them.  The celebration was a singular affair. Cambiaso was seen embracing Milei — and his sister Karina — ahead of the awards ceremony. The president also handed the champions’ the trophy, posing for the photo alongside his sister and recently sworn Defense Minister Carlos Presti. After all was said and done, Milei left in a motorcade, not before turning and waving the replica hat to the team and remaining crowds, who cheered him on. For Cambiaso, the win got him his 19th Argentine Polo Open title — as well as his 5th triple crown. At 50, the star shows no signs of slowing down. Cover photo credit: Matías Callejo / Prensa AAP