Mariano Aguerre back in the saddle

By Alex Webbe

A sidebar to the announcement of Nacho Figueras playing in
Sunday’s Robin Hood Charity match is the reappearance of 9-goaler Mariano
Aguerre who will be saddling up again.

Earlier in the season the former 10-goaler suffered a knee
injury that sidelined him for several weeks.
As a member of Peter Brant’s successful White Birch polo teams over the
years, Aguerre has etched his name into the fabric of both American and Argentine
polo history.

Last fall Aguerre was a member of the Argentine Open
championship Ellerstina team, polo’s most coveted prize. His performance was such that the Argentine
Polo Association elevated his handicap back to 10-goals.

His debut will take place on Saturday when White Birch (Del Carroll,
Matias Magrini, Mariano Aguerre and Peter Brant) faces Heathcote (Steve
Lefkowitz, Naco Taverna, Tommy Biddle and Nick Manifold) in the opening round
of Hampton Cup play.

My knee is 100%,” said Aguerre of the injury he suffered
during a fall in practice. “I’ll be
wearing a brace to play,” he added, “but that’s just a preventative measure in
case I get hit directly on it (the knee) during the game.”

Aguerre will then go on to play in Sunday’s charity match to
benefit the Robin Hood Foundation and finish out the summer season in New York
and Connecticut before heading back to Argentina to prepare to defend the Open
title.