La Dolfina wins Argentine Open and makes history
By Alex Webbe
La Dolfina (Adolfo Cambiaso, Pelon Stirling, Pablo MacDonough and Juan Martin Nero) beat Ellerstina (Polito Pieres, Nico Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres and Facundo Pieres) 13-12 Saturday afternoon before an enthusiastic crowd on the Number 1 field at Palermo. The win clinched the 2015 Triple Crown for La Dolfina and gave them an unprecedented three Triple Crowns in a row (2013, 2014, 2015), a feat never before accomplished in the history of Argentine polo.
Ellerstina and La Dolfina played one another evenly through the first seven minutes of play for the opening 2-2 tie. Facundo Pieres scored the first goal of the game on a 60-yard penalty shot, 1-0, that was followed by goals from the field from Pelon Stirling and Pablo MacDonough, 2-1. Facundo Pieres scored the final goal of the chukker on a 40-yard penalty conversion that leveled the score at 2-2.
Three minutes into the second chukker a goal from Stirling gave the edge to La Dolfina, 3-2. Ensuing goal from Adolfo Cambiaso (penalty shot and a goal from the field) went unanswered, giving La Dolfina a 5-2 advantage after only two periods of play.
MacDonough’s second goal of the day came in the opening 34 seconds of the third chukker and extended the La Dolfina lead to four goals, 6-2. Polito Pieres scored his first goal of the match, 6-3, but a closing penalty goal from Cambiaso had the La Dolfina lead back at four goals, 7-3.
Juan Martin Nero gave La Dolfina their eighth goal of the game just two minutes into the fourth for a five goal lead, 8-3. A penalty goal from Facundo Pieres kept hopes alive, but it was La Dolfina riding off the field at the end of the first half with a comfortable four goal lead, 8-4.
MacDonough pushed the La Dolfina lead back to five goals, 9-4, in the opening seconds of the fifth period. Facundo Pieres followed up on his penalty tap to score two minutes later, and Gonzalito Pieres cut the lead back to three goals with his first score of the day, 9-6.
It was four minutes into the sixth period before the first goal was scored as Cambiaso converted a penalty shot to put La Dolfina on top, 10-6. Polito Pieres countered with a goal from the field for Ellerstina, 10-7, but Cambiaso’s fifth goal of the game had La Dolfina riding off the field at the end of the chukker with an 11-7 edge.
Nero opened the seventh with a goal that stretched the La Dolfina lead to five goals again, 12-7, when Ellerstina fired back. Facundo Pieres converted a 60-yard penalty shot for a goal followed by back to back goals from Gonzalito Pieres. With one chukker remaining in regulation lay, La Dolfina was holding on to a two goal, 12-10 lead.
A minute and-a-half into the eighth period Polito Pieres shaved the La Dolfina lead back to a single goal, 12-11. Cambiaso answered back at the 4:04 mark with a 40-yard penalty shot to make it 13-10. Facundo Pieres missed a penalty shot in the waning minutes of the final chukker but stole the ball and made good on a run to goal to bring Ellerstina to within a goal of the lead again, 13-12. A last furious Ellerstina attack was turned aside in the La Dolfina goal mouth as the ball was driven harmlessly down the field by the La Dolfina defenders as Cambiaso shot his hand into the air in a triumphant sign of victory.
Cambiaso led the La Dolfina attack with six goals (four on penalty conversions) and was given the Gonzalo Heguy Award for the most valuable player. MacDonough scored three times while Stirling and Nero added two goals each for the win. Facundo led the Ellerstina attack with six goals (four on penalty shots). Polito Pieres and Gonzalito Pieres scored three goals apiece in an effort that came up just short.
Nero’s Lack Nut was awarded the Lady Susan Townley Cup signifying the Best Playing Pony in the final, with the Argentine Breeders Association honoring Nero’s Oli Chicha.