Thu 4th Dec 2025 La Natividad La Dolfina Qualify for Argentine Open Final Plus, La Zeta Kazak keep their 2026 Triple Crown hopes alive After delays due to rain, the 132nd Argentine Open Championship continued at Palermo on Wednesday 3 December with two important matches; the first match between La Zeta Kazak and Los Machitos was pivotal for La Zeta Kazak as they needed a win to keep their 2026 Triple Crown hopes alive and the second match was essentially a Semi Final with La Natividad La Dolfina and UAE Polo vying for a spot in the Final.    The day’s opening game saw La Zeta Kazak face Los Machitos El Refugio, with La Zeta Kazak determined to achieve their goal – a much-needed win to secure a spot in the playoff against La Aguada Don Ercole, recent winners of the Cámara de Diputados Cup. And they did their job: La Zeta Kazak beat Los Machitos El Refugio 16–10, with five goals from Nico Pieres, earning their second victory in the tournament. This result has major consequences for the 2026 Triple Crown. A win by La Zeta Kazak means Sol de Agosto are now condemned to play the qualifying tournament in 2026, falling out of the main draw. At the same time, La Zeta Kazak have secured at least a tiebreaker – if La Dolfina II defeat La Ensenada on Thursday, 4 December, La Zeta Kazak and La Ensenada will have to play each other to decide who goes on to the playoff against La Aguada Don Ercole for the final spot in the 2026 Triple Crown. Otherwise, La Zeta Kazak will take the place directly and compete in the Repechage.   The second match of the day saw the sole contender for The Triple Crown, La Natividad La Dolfina, continue their undefeated run with a 16-14 match against UAE Polo, with the President of Argentina, Javier Milei, watching the match in Palermo. The win was their 11th consecutive victory of the season and secured them a spot in Sunday’s Final. The two teams had previously met in The Hurlingham Open Final and Wednesday’s match was one of the most anticipated of the year between two powerhouses. Polito Pieres opened the scores, but La Natividad La Dolfina replied quickly with three unanswered goals by Adolfo Cambiaso, Jeta Castagnola and Poroto Cambiaso to take an early 3-1 lead, extending it to 7-3 by the end of the third chukka before UAE fought back. A whirlwind fourth chukka saw penalties from Polito Pieres and Tomás Panelo close the gap to 5-7, a goal from Jeta restore a three-goal advantage, and another remarkable goal from Pieres reduced the gap to two goals, 8-6 in favour of La Natividad La Dolfina, at half time. The fifth chukka followed a similar pattern, with Juan Martín Nero reducing the gap to one and UAE nearly levelling before two goals from Poroto restored a three-goal lead, only for UAE to answer with three unanswered goals to trail 10-9. A hard-fought sixth and seventh chukka kept the match tight, and late goals from Nero and Panelo levelled it at 13-13 with one chukka remaining. In a thrilling final chukka, Panelo put UAE ahead 14-13, Poroto converted a 30 yard penalty to tie, and Jeta Castagnola scored two spectacular unanswered goals to seal a 16-14 win and send La Natividad La Dolfina into the final of The 132nd Argentine Polo Open Championship.   The tournament continues today with two more matches: La Ensenada Clonargen vs La Dolfina II, the latter a team that emerged from the qualifying tournament and that urgently needs a victory to continue with chances of pre-qualifying to the Triple Crown 2026; and Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú Vista vs La Irenita La Hache Clinova in another important ‘Semi Final’ which sees Pablo Mac Donough will return to the starting lineup after his collarbone injury.   Photograph: La Natividad La Dolfina secured their Final spot with a 16-14 win against UAE Polo. By Matías Callejo / AAP Press

Other top stories Mon 22nd Dec 2025 Polo Times Christmas Break Dates Mon 15th Dec 2025 Polo Times Dec/Jan Out Next Week Subscribe today to get your copy by Christmas Thu 11th Dec 2025 AAP Announce Handicap Changes Antonio Heguy raised to 9 & Mia Cambiaso reaches 10 goals Wed 10th Dec 2025 La Aguada Don Ercole Secure 2026 Triple Crown Spot Narrow 13-12 win vs La Zeta Kazak Mon 8th Dec 2025 La Natividad La Dolfina Secure Triple Crown 17-13 win vs Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufu in Final Mon 8th Dec 2025 La Dolfina Lift IX Womens Argentine Open Fifth title following 9-4 win vs UAE Polo Fri 5th Dec 2025 Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufu Secure Argentine Open Final Spot Final set for Sunday 7 December vs La Natividad La Dolfina Thu 4th Dec 2025 La Natividad La Dolfina Qualify for Argentine Open Final Plus, La Zeta Kazak keep their 2026 Triple Crown hopes alive Thu 4th Dec 2025 54 & Sportgate International Unite A promising new future for polo See all news in: December 2025November 2025October 2025September 2025August 2025July 2025June 2025May 2025April 2025March 2025February 2025January 2025December 2024November 2024October 2024September 2024August 2024July 2024June 2024May 2024April 2024March 2024February 2024January 2024December 2023November 2023October 2023September 2023August 2023July 2023June 2023May 2023April 2023March 2023February 2023January 2023December 2022November 2022October 2022September 2022August 2022July 2022June 2022May 2022April 2022March 2022February 2022January 2022December 2021November 2021October 2021September 2021August 2021July 2021June 2021May 2021April 2021March 2021February 2021January 2021December 2020November 2020October 2020September 2020August 2020July 2020June 2020May 2020April 2020March 2020February 2020January 2020December 2019November 2019October 2019September 2019August 2019July 2019June 2019May 2019April 2019March 2019February 2019January 2019December 2018November 2018October 2018September 2018August 2018July 2018June 2018May 2018April 2018March 2018February 2018January 2018December 2017November 2017October 2017September 2017August 2017July 2017June 2017May 2017April 2017March 2017February 2017January 2017December 2016November 2016October 2016September 2016August 2016July 2016June 2016May 2016April 2016March 2016February 2016January 2016December 2015November 2015October 2015September 2015August 2015July 2015June 2015May 2015April 2015March 2015February 2015January 2015December 2014November 2014October 2014September 2014August 2014July 2014June 2014May 2014April 2014March 2014February 2014January 2014December 2013November 2013October 2013September 2013August 2013July 2013June 2013May 2013April 2013March 2013February 2013January 2013December 2012November 2012October 2012September 2012August 2012July 2012June 2012May 2012April 2012March 2012February 2012January 2012December 2011November 2011October 2011September 2011August 2011July 2011June 2011May 2011April 2011March 2011February 2011January 2011December 2010November 2010October 2010September 2010August 2010July 2010June 2010May 2010April 2010March 2010February 2010January 2010December 2009November 2009October 2009September 2009August 2009July 2009June 2009May 2009April 2009March 2009February 2009January 2009December 2008November 2008October 2008September 2008August 2008July 2008June 2008May 2008April 2008March 2008

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