The Best Ponies of the HSBC 121st Argentine Open

The Best Ponies of the HSBC 121st Argentine Open


By Victoria Elsbury-Legg


As every good polo player knows it’s not just down to their dexterity with the stick that makes the difference between scoring or missing a goal and winning the game, it is also due to agility, skill and bloodline of their ponies.  This year the Argentine Polo Pony Breeders Association presented winners rugs to the following ponies who were judged to be the ‘Best Argentine Polo Breeds’ in each match of the Campo Argentino de Polo at Palermo:


Match: La Dolfina vs. Miramar – Judge: Pepe Heguy

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Dolfina Buenaventura, ridden by Adolfo Cambiaso.

Nominated: Irenita Nuera, ridden by Pablo Mac Donough.


Match: La Aguada vs. Magual – Judge: Benjamín Araya

Best Argentine Polo Breed: @Digital, ridden by Miguel Novillo Astrada 

Nominated: Borren La Pradera, ridden by Ignacio Toccalino

 

Match: Ellerstina vs. Chapaleufú

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Open Kodama, ridden by Facundo Pieres. 


Match: Alegría vs. La Aguada Las Monjitas – Judge: Pepe Heguy

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Chalo Explosiva, ridden by Alejandro Novillo Astrada, loaned by Lolo Castagnola. 

Nominated: Open Pugliese, ridden by Pablo Pieres and Chalo Bebota, ridden by Cristian Laprida Jr.


Match: La Aguada vs. Miramar – Judge: Pepe Heguy

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Open Chalita, ridden by Miguel Novillo Astrada.

Nominated: Gete Ovación ridden by Guillermo Caset Jr.


Match: La Dolfina vs. Magual – Judge: Francisco Bensadon

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Anay Sur La Peluda, ridden by Juan Martín Nero 

Nominated: Anay Sur Pixie, ridden by Juan Martín Nero and Dolfina Tetera, ridden by Adolfo Cambiaso


Match: Alegría vs. Chapaleufú – Judge: Horacio Araya

Best Polo Argentino Bred: Open Ficha, ridden by Ignacio Heguy 

Nominated: Vasca Fianza, ridden by Pepe Heguy, loan by Eduardo Heguy and Vasco Hijitus, ridden by Eduardo Heguy.


Match: Ellerstina vs. La Aguada Las Monjitas – Judge: Paco De Narvaez

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Future La Karateca, ridden by Gonzalo Pieres Jr., loaned by Nicolás Pieres. 

Nominated: Gete Alegría, ridden by Ignatius Du Plessis and Open Sinfonía, ridden by Nicolás Pieres


Match: Magual vs. Miramar – Judges: Pepe Heguy and Santiago Ballester

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Borren La Pradera, ridden by Ignacio Toccalino 

Nominated: Mar Chiquita Britiths, ridden by Alejandro Muzzio.


Match: La Dolfina vs. La Aguada – Judge: Benjamín Araya

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Irenita Nuera, ridden by Pablo Mac Donough.

Nominated: Anay Sur La Peluda, ridden by Juan Martín Nero.

 

Semi Final: La Aguada Las Monjitas vs. Chapaleufú – Judge: Fernando Fantini

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Chalo Explosiva, ridden by Alejandro Novillo Astrada, loaned by Lolo Castagnola.

Nominated: Open Ficha, ridden by Ignacio Heguy and Dolfina Viuda Negra, ridden by Cristian Laprida Jr.


Semi Final: Ellestina vs. Alegría – Judge: Pepe Heguy

Best Polo Argentino Bred: Open Z Jones, ridden by Gonzalo Pieres.

Nominated: Open Guillermina, ridden by Nicolás Pieres and Yata Ficha, ridden by Pablo Pieres, loaned by Ignacio Figueras.


Final: La Dolfina vs. Ellerstina – Judges: Benjamín Araya and Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr.

Best Argentine Polo Breed: Open Chequera, ridden by Facundo Pieres

Nominated: Anay Sur Peluda, ridden by Juan Martín Nero and Irenita Nuera, ridden by Pablo MacDonough.