Sun 29th Oct 2023La Natividad Claim 83rd Tortugas Open 15-10 win against La Hache La Roca
On Saturday 28 October, La Natividad retained The Tortugas Open title after defeating La Hache La Roca 15-10 in the Final at Tortugas Country Club. The win was Pablo Mac Donough’s 12th Tortugas Open title, which means that he has now won the prestigious tournament more times than any other player – Alberto Pedro Heguy won it 11 times, a record he now shares with Facundo Pieres. The match was fairly balanced in the first three chukkas, but in the fourth chukka they edged ahead although La Hache La Roca stayed hot on their heels until the last two chukkas. La Natividad took control in the seventh chukka, outscoring La Hache La Roca 3-0 and with one chukka left they held a 14-9 lead which would take every ounce of effort from La Hache La Roca to overcome. Both teams scored a goal each in the final chukka, with Mac Donough responsible for Natividad’s 15th goal of the Final and with it taking the win. Jeta Castagnola received the Most Valuable Player Award, Wickford Santa Ana, played by Jeta Castagnola, was the AAP Best Playing Pony and Lovelocks Drogba, played by Barto Castagnola was the Best Polo Argentino Bred. A full report will follow in the next issue of Polo Times – click here to gift a subscription to a friend. The 83rd Tortugas Open Final Teams: La Natividad (39): Facundo Pieres (9), Camilo ‘Jeta’ Castagnola (10), Pablo Mac Donough (10), Barto Castagnola (10) La Hache La Roca (36): Pablo Pieres (9), Hilario Ulloa (9), Sapo Caset (9 & Francisco Elizalde (9) Photograph: La Natividad, winners of The 83rd Tortugas Open. By Matías Callejo / Prensa AAP  |