Three games of polo on this beautiful day in the province of Buenos Aires. The first being held at La Picaza Polo Club with the home-field La Picaza (16 goals) taking on Anaconda (16 goals). Anne Marie Van Gils’ Anaconda squad having three hard working, evenly rated professionals were up against it with another solid team led by an experienced and highly rated professional. In their previous match Anaconda had fallen prey to an outstanding performance by 9 goal David “Pelon” Sterling, could they fare better on this day against the 8 goal Eduardo “Ruso” Heguy?
Before Anaconda could get themselves set La Picaza had tallied two quick goals from the mallet of their #2 Manuel Elizalde. Undaunted the Anaconda squad rolled up their sleeves and went to work, defensively they were successful in not allowing another goal in the chukka but offensively they were unable to gain any ground as the chukka ended 2-0 in favour of La Picaza. 
The beginning of the 2nd continued in similar fashion as neither team was able to score but Heguy was the first to find an opening as he blocked a clearing shot, set up and teed off to drop a long shot through the Anaconda goal. 3-0 for La Picaza and they weren’t finished, from the following throw-in they went to goal again, Francisco Elizalde this time, 4-0. The momentum was La Picaza’s and their pressure draws a foul, Heguy had a penalty 5 from centre, he lined it up and incredibly with one clean stroke of the mallet dropped it over the goal line! 5-0 in favour of La Picaza. Anaconda didn’t bow their heads, they just kept at it and it paid off as they drew two fouls against La Picaza with their offensive pressure, capitalizing on them both to end the chukka 5-2. The third and fourth chukkas were mirror images of each other as Anaconda was the better in the third, with Juan Pedro Harriet scoring twice to Francisco’s one, and in the fourth J. P. Harriet notching one more to two penalty conversions for La Picaza. The fifth chukka began with the score 8-5 for La Picaza and would have ended the same had not the last second run by Terrabussi, the patron of La Picaza, ended with a goal, 9-5 La Picaza. The sixth chukka was the other Harriet brother’s turn to make a run, Juan Carlos notched two consecutive goals to bring Anaconda within two at 9-7 but Francisco answer twice from the penalty line and the match ended 11-7 in favour of La Picaza.
The next two games of the day were to be held at La Aguada Polo Club but there was time to spare, so into the town of Open Door I went with a friend for lunch. We sat ourselves at El Chango polo restaurant and were presented with three options for lunch. We both selected the bife de chorizo and decided to split a salad and a plate of fries, a seemingly reasonable decision, no? No…when the bife de chorizo came out my eyes widened to take it all in, when it was put before me the table groaned under it’s weight…how was I to eat all of this? I’ll spare you the details but it was absolutely delicious and as I struggled from my seat after the meal I wondered how I was going to get through two polo games in the sun without lapsing into a food coma. This was going to be a challenge.
The second game of the day was the 16 goal Altamira squad led by David “Pelon” Sterling vs Los Cocos, the 16 goal squad led by Diego Cavanagh. Los Cocos’ previous game had been a narrow loss yet they had played very well, I was curious to see how they would perform against Altamira after seeing Stirling’s dominant performance in their first game. Stirling was first to score as he got out front with a pass from his #4 Gaston Laulhe. Cavanagh answered back from the field to tie and then Laulhe notched one of his own to put Altamira up again by 1. 
Unbelievably this was the last time Altamira was to have the lead. Los Cocos dedicated themselves to marking Stirling, often two men on Altamira’s 9 goaler, barely letting him breathe, but not at the expense of their own offence. Cavanagh converted two penalties to close the first chukka 3-2 for Los Cocos. Tomas Lalor began the second scoring from the field, then Cavanagh again with a penalty conversion before Stirling was able to answer back with a penalty of his own to end the chukka 5-3, still in favour of Los Cocos. In the third chukka the game opened up and both teams began to run, first it was Lalor from the field for Los Cocos, then Stirling clearing from Altamira’s goal with a neck shot and taking it the distance for a goal only to have Cavanagh run the field in response and close the chukka with a goal, 7-4 for Los Cocos. The fourth chukka began with a penalty conversion by Laulhe for Altamira, 7-5. Then Los Cocos opened the floodgates…Cavanagh with a penalty…Martin Joaquin from the field…Cavanagh another penalty…Lalor from the field…another penalty…and another…12-5 for Los Cocos…stunning. The fifth chukka began with Cavanagh converting another penalty and then getting one from the field, 14-5 for Los Cocos before Stirling finally responded from the field to finish the chukka at 14-6 for Los Cocos. Altamira would notch two more goals before Lalor scored from the field to finish the game with an incredible score of 15-8 for Los Cocos. As hot as David Stirling had been in Altamira’s first game of the tournament, today, in their second, he was not.
A short drive and I was at another of La Aguada’s immaculate polo fields where 15 goal REI was taking on 16 goal Power Horse. REI started this match with one goal on handicap. Early in the chukka the action comes to the boards in front of me, the players all come together somewhat awkwardly and suddenly there is a horse sitting and sliding to it’s side. 
All are ok, sort themselves out and it’s REI taking and converting a penalty to go up by two. Power Horse doesn’t take long to answer back as the patron, Walter Scherb, receives a pass and finishes out front. Then it is Guillermo Terrera’s turn and Power Horse has tied the match to end the first chukka, 2-2. The second chukka begins with Terrera on a tear, taking it from the initial throw-in he scores, then following up his teammates he pots another, now running free again he scores out front to make it 5-2 for Power Horse. Not finished yet Terrera takes the ball and sends it to Santiago Marambio who finishes, then it’s Victorio Montaverde’s turn and Power Horse closes the second chukka leading 7-2. Chukka three is more of the same, Terrera quick with the stick makes it 8-2. REI answers back with a penalty conversion and then it’s all Power Horse, first Marambio, then Terrera and the 3rd chukka ends 10-3. Power Horse comes out in the fourth for more, Terrera to Marambio and Montaverde with the hook to allow the ball to carry over the goal-line…then Marambio…then Terrera, 13-3 to end the 4th. The fifth sees REI dig in and hold Power Horse to just one penalty conversion but they are unable to mount an offence of their own, 14-3 the chukka ends. In the 6th and final chukka REI’s patron makes a beautiful neck shot and gives himself something to feel good about but Power Horse shows no mercy and Terrera puts one through and patron Walter Scherb pots another to finish the match 16-4, a heavy win in favour of Power Horse.
Thanks for reading!
Chau for now.
Dylan Foster