Is It The Best Polo In The World? Or Is It The Best Polo Players In The World?
I would have to say it is the best polo in the World as it is 32 professionals at the head of the game playing no-patron polo. However, is it as hard as winning the U.S. Open or the British Gold Cup? There are not 4 pros on teams who enter the U.S. or British Tournaments. In the Argentine Open you have 4 pros vs. 4 pros. Is the polo safer at this level (yes)? Will it be faster (yes)? Will it be better (probably a yes)? Will it be harder to win than the British or U.S. Open? Probably not.
It will, however, be better spectator polo because of some local brains who say it does not matter who is playing. Well tell that to a sponsor. Like all games, people like skilled players who are sometimes called Superstars. Superstar power is what makes a sport or sports better than others. Those sports with Superstars excel in popularity over other sports without Superstars.
Money men tell me Warren Buffet will not attract more attention than say Howard Birndorf. They are both very wealthy, but one is just that much bigger. Just like baseball, football and the same for Polo. Spectators come to watch the best and they will definitely be at Palermo to watch the Star power there.
Some interesting facts about the 2007 Argentine Open. One team is trying for the Triple Crown, a team called Ellerstina. One team is trying for their third Open Title in a row, a team called La Dolfina. Both #3s are 10-goal pros. One scored 27 goals (Adolfo Cambiaso). The other scored 26 goals (Facundo Pieres). After those facts things get very different. Facundo Pieres was 8 years old when Adolfo Cambiaso won his first Open. Gonzalito was 11 years old. Their Father, Gonzalo Pieres, was Captain of that team, I think this was in 1994. Facundo Pieres (of Ellerstina) and Adolfo Cambiaso (La Dolfina) met in the first finals against each other in 2005 and La Dolfina won. The scene was the same. Ellerstina was going for the Triple Crown. Ellerstina is 105 years in age with an average age of 26.5 per player. La Dolfina is 137 years with an average age of 34 per player. So will it be experience or youth? I think maybe youth this time. Ellerstina has been getting better every game since I was there and they are really playing for each other. This may have a lot to do with their coach, a Polo legend Memo Gracida. Adolfo Cambiaso is one of a kind no matter what they say. He may be able to do it again against the best of organizations.
There were 8 teams in the Argentine Open. Of these teams, a total of 32 players, 25% are under 30 years of age. That is 8 players. Of these 8 players, 5 are under 25 years of age. Horacio Heguy is the oldest player at 43. Sapo Casset is about 4 months younger than Facundo Pieres and is the youngest at 21. The Triple Crown Finals have been showing live on ESPN in Argentina. So it will be a spectacle. La Dolfina has among its players 19 Open trophies and Ellerstina has none, but the first 4 will be coming soon.
See ya.