Mon 8th Dec 2025La Natividad La Dolfina Secure Triple Crown 17-13 win vs Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufu in Final
History was made yesterday, Sunday 7 December, as La Natividad La Dolfina won The 132nd Argentine Open at Palermo – their third consecutive title this year since the two teams merged. The 17-13 win against Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú made Adolfo Cambiaso the only player to have won the Triple Crown five times, which he did on Sunday alongside his son, Poroto, and nephews Barto and Jeta Castagnola.
The Argentine President, Javier Milei, watched the Final in the packed grandstands at Palermo for the highly anticipated match between some of the best players in the world – five 10 goalers, two nine goalers and one 8 goaler made up the player list.
The first chukka ended in a 2-2 draw, and Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú pulled ahead in the third chukka with goals from Facundo Pieres, Gonzalito Pieres and Antonio Heguy to take a 5-3 lead. However La Natividad La Dolfina fought back in the third chukka to gain a narrow lead, 6-5, which they continued to build on in the remainder of the match. The fourth chukka belonged to La Natividad La Dolfina and they outscored their opponents five goals to none to extend the lead to 11-5 at half-time. The fifth chukka saw just a goal apiece while the sixth chukka saw Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú close the gap to 13-9 with two chukkas to go. Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú’s comeback continued in the seventh chukka as they outscored La Natividad and shortened the goal gap to 14-12 with just one chukka left. The last chukka began with a swift goal from Poroto, then unexpectedly Facundo suffered from a pulled riding muscle and he had to be replaced by Brazilian Pedro Zacharias, who had played the previous match with La Aguada in the playoff against La Zeta Kazak. After a few tense minutes, the game resumed, and La Natividad La Dolfina began closing in on the Triple Crown. Two goals from Poroto and one from Jeta sealed the victory – La Natividad La Dolfina won 17-13, making the dream a reality.
Lovelocks Drogba, played by Barto Castagnola, received the Lady Susan Townley Cup for Best Playing Pony; the Best Polo Argentino Bred was Dolfina Copas, played by Poroto Cambiaso; Adolfo Cambiaso received the Rubén Sola Award; Barto Castagnola received the Gonzalo Heguy MVP Award; Gonzalito Pieres received the Gonzalo Tanoira Award for the best mounted player of the tournament; Barto Castagnola received Fomento Equino and Municipalidad de Cañuelas Cup for the best mounted player of the Final; Gonzalito Pieres received the Juan Carlos Harriott Fair Play Award and the Rufino Laulhé Award for young talent went to Antonio Heguy.
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The 132nd Argentine Open Final Teams:
La Natividad La Dolfina (40): Camilo ‘Jeta’ Castagnola (10), Adolfo Cambiaso (10), Poroto Cambiaso (10) & Barto Castagnola (10)
Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú (36): Facundo Pieres (10), Antonio Heguy (8), Gonzalito Pieres (9) & Cruz Heguy (9)
Photograph: La Natividad La Dolfina, winners of The 132nd Argentine Open. By Matías Callejo/Prensa AAP
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