Dec. 12th, '04: Chapa II the champions. - Indios Chapaleufu II were crowned Argentine Open Champions on Saturday after a commanding 15- 11 win in the first Heguy Super Clasico final at Palermo since 1996.
Who would have thought it? Chapa II looked to be out of form and on the way out as the Abierto began. Now they have been acknowledged as the best team on the planet and Eduardo Heguy and co are kissing the Trophy like it was meant to be theirs.
One thing that was certain, however, was that either way, a Heguy was guaranteed to be gulping Toso Champagne from it come Saturday evening.
Again Pepe Heguy came out of the shadows to produce an immaculate performance up front for the smooth passing Chapa II, while the recovered Milo Fernandez Araujo took up his usual mantle between Ruso and man of the match Nachi Heguy, at three.
Chapa II’s tried and tested combination was just too strong for Chapa I who’s passes did no stick as they had in previous games. Bautista Heguy pulled off yet another vintage display, but was unable convert crucial penalties or fire up Mariano Aguerre, who, despite finishing on the losing team, goes to the top of the Polo World Tour rankings.
This time there was no nail biting finish but instead an ending that was slightly marred by an injury to Chapa I number three and Palermo veteran Horacio Heguy who’s horse tripped in the seventh chukka, giving Horacio no time to break his fall.
He hit the ground hard and was taken to hospital after failing to get to his feet to the shock of the crowd and to his cousins on the opposing team. He was, however, moving his legs and was conscious when he was stretchered off the field.
The game had just got interesting. Chapa I seemed to be coming back into the game having squandered a four goal lead after an electric first chukka, and then gone behind by four goals themselves.
This was the Heguy Super Clasico in the world’s most important game of polo, in the Cathedral of polo. But the players did not feel right after Horacio left the field. There was no galloping around Palermo waving Chapa II flags, no excessive hugging.
With Just Bautista the only Heguy playing for Chapa I in the last chukka, it was difficult to imagine that there would be a sensational comeback from the men in Marlboro Red. Indeed there was to be no golden goal finish. A Chapa I team with no Marcos, who was again replaced by the able Trenque Lauquen silent assassin Juan Martin Nero, and no Horacio, did not look right.
The last chukka was played out and the writing looked to be on the wall. Nachi Heguy unleashed a pass to brother Pepe who scored the goal and confirmed that Chapa II were the winners of the 11th Argentine Open.
“We are very happy to have won. But it does not feel as good because of what happened to Horacio,” said Pepe Heguy.
“This is the most important tournament in the world and we have won it,” said Eduardo Heguy as he grasped the trophy after the prize giving. “Kiss it,” somebody said. He did, with a twinkle in his eye.
Dec. 5th, '04: It’ll be a Heguy day come Saturday - Indios Chapaleufu II produced the outstanding display of four man polo of the Abierto to date on Sunday, knocking out La Dolfina in the Zone B decider with a 17 – 13 victory to set up a dream final against counterparts Indios Chapaleufu I next Saturday at Palermo, the ground that quite simply is the Cathedral of polo.
Chapa II had to win by a two goal margin in order to top Zone B and go through to the final, but their plans looked to be in tatters in the first chukka when playmaker Milo Fernandez Araujo felt the thud of Santiago Chavanne’s 52 inch polo mallet on his right knee as the two players rode their line. The foul was given Chavanne’s way and Marcos Di Paola was called off the bench and onto the field.
But di Paola pulled something special out of the bag and fitted in perfectly with Chapa II’s style of play which is to play the fastest passing polo possible. He scored six goals, two of which came from the penalty spot.
But perhaps the key for Chapa was that Pepe Heguy played the best he has for years. Today every pass seemed to stick, and apart from one sitter that he put wide, Pepe ran rings around the La Dolfina defence, pushing La Dolfina back and giving Lolo Castagnola a terrible headache. Where have you been hiding Pepe? Biding his time, is the Answer.
La Dolfina also played an expansive game, and could well have ran out winners had they not allowed Chapa II to keep within striking distance by infringing at crucial moments and passed with the same accuracy as they had seven days before. Eduardo Heguy made La Dolfina pay, converting 6 penalties.
As has happened in every game on the number one ground at Palermo in the 2004 Abierto, this game was decided in the final two chukkas. Luckily for Chapa II, they had a purple patch and went ahead by four goals by the end of the seventh chukka at 16 – 12 and went on to win the game 17- 13 after a goal a piece in the final chukka.
Marcos di Paola’s final goal which ended the seventh chukka summed up Chapa II’s afternoon perfectly: He latched on to a pass from Nachi, stormed up the field following up his approach shots, tapped the ball through the goal before celebrating as only one can at Palermo.
“Vamooooos,” he shouted whilst shaking his fist up and down as he rode past the Chapa pony lines. Take a bow Marcos.
“This will be the dream final for us. To play against our cousins. It’s the first all Chapa final since 1996, I think,” said Nachi Heguy.
“This is the way polo should be played,” said Chapa II captain Eduardo Heguy after the game.
Eduardo had a point. This was the fastest and most physical game of polo of the season. As he cantered back to the pony lines after sealing his team’s passage through to the final, he hurled his helmet into the crowd in the Dorrego stands in which the Chapa II fans were camped in their masses. This was a Heguy day, with a touch of di Paola.
In the first game of the day Ellerstina did all they could to boost their chances of gaining safe passage to the final, beating Isla Carrol 20 – 11.
This was a case of superior horse power and talented youth dominating proceedings. Ellerstina were just too quick for Isla Carrol who again showed promising patches, but were unable to sustain the high level which is required to challenge the top teams.
Yes, Ellerstina are a top team and will go into the 2005 Open as one of the favourites, not the rank outsiders that many pundits said they were.
Nov. 27, '04: Novillos top of family tree, while Miramar are out smoked by Chapa I.
By Charlie Froggatt. La Mariana crashed out of the 2004 Argentine Open on Saturday after the ruthless Novillo Astrada brothers came out on top in one of the Super Clasico family bouts of the season, winning 14 – 12.
In the end it was the Novillo Astrada nerve that saw La Aguada through, while the inability of the Merlos brothers and Paco de Narazaez to capitalise when the goal mouth is gaping that cost La Mariana dear.
This game was by no means classic, as the Novillo Astrada’s tight marking policy strangled La Mariana’s free flowing style of play. But if it’s winning ugly that puts La Aguada on the trophy, then the Dorrego crowd will not be complaining.
Paco de Naravaez, the best player on the La Mariana team on Saturday, was the only man not to have a brother on the field, and could have done with some brotherly advice as three of his penalty attempts shaved the posts while the scores were tied at 10 – 10 in the seventh chukka.
Yet again it was 2003 Triple Crown winners La Aguada that produced the power play when it was needed, scoring four goals in quick succession in the final chukka, while La Mariana could only manage a couple.
“No matter how many goals we are losing by, there is always a good chance that we will win. In polo, the game changes very quickly,” said Javier Novillo Astrada after the game as he commented on how La Aguada came back from a three goal deficit to win.
Quickly, is exactly how the Merlos’ fortunes changed and is the speed in which they will want to forget their 2004 campaign, which saw their La Mariana team become regarded as one of the favourites to lift the Abierto trophy.
La Aguada will now face Indios Chapaleufu in the Zone A decider, while La Mariana, who lost last weekend to Chapa I, can no longer qualify for the final; as is the case for Miramar who also felt the sharp edge of the Heguy polo splice two hours earlier on Palermo’s number two ground.
Again Miramar displayed substantial skill and nerve by standing up to one of the tournament big guns, but in the end lacked the horse power to sustain their advantage as Chapa I closed a two goal deficit and ran out winners 14 – 12.
Miramar now face La Mariana and will hope to avoid the wooden spoon.
Nov. 21, '04: Last gasp Dolfina taunt Ellerstina as Chapa quash Isla uprising. La Dolfina 16, Ellerstina 15 - La Dolfina set alight the 111th Argentine Open on Sunday beating Ellerstina in the dying seconds of the final chukka.
Adolfo Cambiaso hurled his mallet out of the Palermo ground as he celebrated the last minute goal that saw his La Dolfina team, last years runners up, win 16 – 15 after Ellerstina had held the lead from the second chukka and had a three goal lead as the eighth chukka began.
La Dolfina appeared disjointed throughout and were only within striking distance of Ellerstina distance thanks to individual efforts and a series of near misses by the young Ellerstina team.
From the back Adolfo Cambiaso and Carlos Gracida had failed to link up with the disoriented Bartolome Castagnola, who usually plays at Back, and new boy Santiago Chavanne, who filled in Cambiaso’s boots up front.
Ellerstina on the other had looked polished throughout, and will be devastated to lose a match that was theirs for the taking. They should have won it – they probably thought they already had. But they lacked the experience of their opponents who knew that this is the Argentine Open, the only polo tournament in which brilliance is guaranteed - and also that Cambiaso had just got his eye in.
Ellerstina were made to suffer just as La Aguada had made La Dolfina suffer in the 2003 final. Clearly, neither Lolo Castagnola or Cambiaso had forgotten about that as they robbed the ball, counterattacked and scored.
La Dolfina lead the group, but it should have been Ellerstina’s day.
Indios Chapalefu 14, Isla Carrol 11 - Two hours earlier, Sunday’s first match in Zone B saw Indios Chapaleufu II begin their 2005 Abierto campaign with an unconvincing 14 - 11 win against a ”jack in a box” Isla Carrol team that just would not lie down and die.
On this performance, Isla Carrol looked every bit the part to play in the Open, while Chapa II looked rusty and relied on Nachi Heguy to keep a grip on the Heguy game plan.
To their credit, Isla Carrol looked like a side that believed they could win and that could have done. But in the end, the Heguy horse power won the game.
Nov. 19th, '04: The general standard of play in the 2004 Argentine high goal season seems to be higher tan that of last season. The 2003 Open was criticised by the players for the short recovery time they were given between matches, the number of teams that were allowed to qualify and the draw.
This year the build up to the Open is even more moth watering than usual, particularly as there are four or five teams who could realistically win the title. What is good for the tournament is that the horses are faster and the play, as seen in the Hurlingham Open, seems to be more fluid.
Juan Martin Nero is the name on most peoples lips at the moment after he replaced Horacio Heguy in the third chukka of the Hurlingham Open final. With Juanma weraring the Marlboro Red shirt, it appears that Chapaleufu I have regained the spark they seemed to have lost since 2001 when they won the Open in such emphatic style with a Mariano Aguerre neckshot golden goal in sudden death. Horacio, who provided the pass for Mariano that day, may find that his pulled leg muscle is not worth risking and may step aside for Juan Marin to enter the fray on a permanent basis.
While Bautista Heguy is setting alight every game he plays in, the fact that his favourite horse, the mare Alasana Bira, continues to win prizes for Best Playing Pony, despite the fact that the horses continue to improve every year, shows the calibre of this mare.
The Argentine Open Press Conference
The Press Conference The 111th Argentine Open was a surprisingly tame affair. The Heguy family were complimentary about the new eight team draw as opposed to the six team competition, the underdogs admitted that they would probably loose but would go down fighting and all of the players were keen to give interviews: is this the calm before the storm you may ask yourself? I hope it is - The Argentine season would not be the same without a little bit of niggle.
On a serious note, those drawn in Zone A, the “death zone” will be nervous. Chapaleufu I, La Mariana and La Aguada have all been grouped together, with Miramar supposedly there as the rookie whipping boys. On form, these three teams are the three favourites. But that is sport. What is certain, however, is that the best team will win.
Zone B is a little more tame. – At least on appearance. Ellerstina are growing up and their stables are now bursting at the seams. La Dolfina, last years runners up, are still blending as a team, but have the horses to mount a strong challenge and have Carlos Gracida who is still on form despite nine years of absence from this competition. Indios Chapaleufu II have Nachi Heguy back in the team and on form and the team recently beat Chapa I, but failed to progress to the final of the Hurlingham Open on goal difference. Finally Isla Carrol, well it is good to see a foreign challenge. I get the feeling that the Argentine teams will especially want to show this team, politely, that they are not as welcome as they are being made to feel at present! But good luck to them because to be in the position they are in is a huge accomplishment in itself.
Argentina - Hurlingham Open: Marlboro Red def. La Mariana. Indios Chapaleufu I destroyed the Merlos’ plan (La Mariana)of winning a second high-goal tournament of the Argentine Season on Sunday. Chapa I won the Hurlingham Open in an exhilarating final defeating the Merlos' 16 – 15.
The game could have gone either way. It was a game played with class and was undoubtedly the most exciting of the season thus far. Both teams played a passing game with very few mistakes. Bautista Heguy played a strong game, as was the La Mariana team play, the horses were quicker than any to be seen on the Hurlingham ground.
Chapa I's selection of Juan Martin Nero as reserve for the injured Horacio Heguy (with a pulled leg muscle) has pushed them up the pecking order considerably. Juan Martin Nero has provided the missing link for a team that now has a good chance of winning the Argentine Open which starts in two weeks time.
