Polo Times Magazine Subscribe to Polo Times Home
HomeNewsTournamentsClassifiedsAbout usSubscribeContact
 
 
 
 

Mon 7th Oct 2024

La Natividad Win 131st Hurlingham Open

Historic 80 goal match

On Saturday 5 October, La Dolfina Saudi and La Natividad faced each other in the first 80 goal Final since 2018, when Ellerstina beat La Dolfina 12-11 in The Hurlingham Open Final.

The first ever 80 goal match was played on Saturday 1 November in 1975 at Palermo in ‘The Match of the Century’ and was played as an exhibition match which included all of the 10 goalers at the time and also commemorated the 100th anniversary of what is considered to be the first ever polo match played on Argentine soil in 1875. 

The first competitive 80 goal match was played in 2009 as a league match in The Hurlingham Open, followed by an 80 goal Argentine Open in the same year and then both The Tortugas and Hurlingham Open Finals in 2018. From 2009 to 2018, all of the 80 goal matches were played between Ellerstina and La Dolfina Saudi, so Saturday’s match between La Dolfina Saudi and La Natividad is significant. This is also the first year La Natividad has played as a 40 goal line-up, which includes two members of the 2018 Ellerstina team that won The Hurlingham Open (Facundo Pieres and Pablo MacDonough). 

Going into Saturday’s Final both teams were undefeated in the single elimination Hurlingham Open, so there was all to play for between the Cañuelas-based line-ups which featured a combination of families and neighbours in a clash of the best of the best. 

In the Final, La Natividad started out strong and won most of the throw-ins with a well-oiled team game and by the end of the third chukka held a 7-2 lead. However, things changed in the fourth chukka as La Dolfina Saudi woke up and Poroto Cambiaso worked hard to generate plays while Pelón Stirling neutralised La Natividad and by half-time they were just two goals behind. Things changed dramatically in the sixth chukka, which saw Adolfo Cambiaso injured (possibly with a torn hamstring) and replaced by 7 goaler Gonzalo Ferrari who went on to have an excellent match. A goal from Ferrari closed the gap to 8-9 and then two more goals by Poroto Cambiaso and one by Juan Martín Nero secured La Dolfina Saudi’s first lead, 11-9. Both sides battled doggedly to try to get ahead but with just one chukka left the scores were tied at 12-12. The final chukka was scoreless, holding spectators on the edge of their seats, but with 30 seconds of regulation play left a long, powerful shot from Facundo Pieres gave La Natividad a 13-12 win and their second Hurlingham Open title.

A full report will be included in the next issue of Polo Times, click here to purchase a subscription today. 

The 131st Hurlingham Open Final Teams:

La Natividad (40): Facundo Pieres (10), Camilo ‘Jeta’ Castagnola (10), Pablo Mac Donough (10) (3) & Barto Castagnola (10) 

 

La Dolfina Saudi (40): Adolfo Cambiaso (10) (substituted by Gonzalo Ferrari (7) in the sixth chukka), David ‘Pelón’ Stirling (10), Poroto Cambiaso (10) & Juan Martin Nero (10) 

 

Photograph: La Natividad, winners of the 2024 Hurlingham Open Final. By Matías Callejo / Prensa AAP


Follow Polotimes on Twitter
 

Other top stories


Fri 7th Feb 2025
U.S. Open Women's Polo Championship Finalists
Buena Vibra vs La Fe Eastern Hay

Thu 6th Feb 2025
Gauntlet of Polo Begins This Weekend
C.V. Whitney Cup starts Saturday 8 February

Wed 5th Feb 2025
Polo Times February Issue Out This Week!
Covering everything from desert polo to snow polo

Tue 4th Feb 2025
RoR Elite Polo Award
Matt Perry's Dark Hedges wins

Mon 3rd Feb 2025
England Win vs NZ at Mystery Creek
South Island Test Match on 6 February

Tue 28th Jan 2025
Zapican BMW Win Joe Barry Memorial Cup
10-8 score against Concord Equity Group

Sun 26th Jan 2025
Historic win for Kusnacht Practice in The 40th Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz Final
Powder polo! The 40th anniversary Finals Day sees epic snowfall

Sat 25th Jan 2025
Semi Finals Day in St. Moritz
Super Saturday sees Kusnacht Practice and Azerbaijan - Land of Fire through to tomorrow’s Final

Fri 24th Jan 2025
40th Anniversary Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz
Spectacular action delights record crowds on Day One

Thu 23rd Jan 2025
Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz Begins Tomorrow
Players in team practices on the frozen Lake St. Moritz today

Thu 23rd Jan 2025
U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship


Wed 22nd Jan 2025
England vs Brazil in 2025 Coronation Cup
Teams still to be announced

Tue 21st Jan 2025
Three Days to Go Until Snow Polo World Cup St. Moritz
Six teams competing in 40th anniversary event

Mon 20th Jan 2025
Arena Polo International Day Results
Wins for Argentina & Team Hurlingham

Sat 18th Jan 2025
Richard Mille Win 2025 Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo Trophy
Six international teams over two days of action in Saudi Arabia

Wed 15th Jan 2025
Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo Teams & Schedule
Top names in polo to compete in Saudi Arabia over 17 – 18 January

Tue 14th Jan 2025
England vs New Zealand Internationals
Test Matches in North & South Islands

See all news in:


End of Polo Times news page

Advertiser information Contact us Subscribe Work for us All information is subject to copyright 2015

Highlights

Latest Classified

Latest Classified

 Get into Polo

Get started in polo

Information on how to get started in polo
 Destination of the Month

The global game

Holidays and breaks playing or following polo around the world
 Wallpapers

Online magazine

Login to read current and back issues of the magazine
 Find your nearest club

Club contacts

Find your nearest polo club
Cookies in Use