IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS THERE WILL BE A 2007 CHAMPION OF THE ARGENTINE OPEN!
Will it be the Young Guns of Ellerstina or the Old Foxes of La Dolfina who win the 114th Argentine Open? It has not been one of the most exciting Opens as these two teams have dominated the others quite handily. Maybe it is the ages of some of the other teams as many of the Chapa Teams are closing in the 40’s + some and its sad to see as the Heguys have been a sign of speed for the last 3 decades as were their Fathers before them.
There were two, Alfredo and Horacio, and then there were maybe 8 or 9 Heguys. They fielded 2 teams for the last 15 years. They also won the Open several times and have had some fablous battles between the Pieres and Heguys were made for history. This era made polo thrive and it has also helped make polo what it is today. These legendary polo players are famous for being excellent athletes. Today, if you go to Argentina, especially in the Pilar area, you will see progress and the future.
One of the things I was recently surprised at is the way Gonzalo Pieres and many of the other leading players over the last two decades have put so much of their money back into the sport. It truly is becoming a home for Kings in this area. Like it is one up from the Pilar Highway to Ellerstina. It may be the biggest soon as Gonzalo Pieres and Memo Gracida have started a new development. The next place is Polo One, its very nice and well laid out. Then there is is Alegria, the Mannix Polo Facility and its awesome, but new. It will be part of the cream very soon. It is so nice now. Piki Alberdi’s another step up, then the Merlos Facility which is very nice. Mariano Aguirre’s place is there as well and one other lost my mind on memory, then its Ellerstina which is the Primo of them all. It is amazing with emmaculate grounds, fields, and stables. Its like 10 Pat Nesbitt’s places in 1. Ellerstina is so big and so elite.
Across the road is the Heguy’s, then the Clubs Pilar Chico and another called Centavos, which are two awesome facilities which compliment the ranches. Then on the otherside polo ranches start again with Tanoria, Alfonso Pieres, Laith Alsaraff and on and on. Almost every facility is fancier than any of the major Clubs in Ca. or most any other state in the U.S. They are and have built polo into a way of life and it is a surreal feeling if you are a polo or horse person. Everybody says “well its so much cheaper there.” It is cheaper, but its tic for tac. It all comes out in the end and its not done cheaply. All of these polo ranches, clubs and facilities are top of the line and its because they care for polo and do not want it to vanish. The Argentine Polo Community has done well and they have put money, time and energy back into the sport. So give them all the credit in the World.
Ellerstina and La Dolfina are the 2 best teams head and shoulders above the rest. Who will stand tallest just hours from now? Nobody knows, but it will be only a matter of time and we know who will stand on the top step very soon the Young Guns.
Rumor has it that several teams are breaking up or changing, but it will be good as it is always in time. There will be foreign teams soon I think and it will truly be a spectacle. Hope you get there.
See ya