The first leg of the 2012 Triple Crown, the Tortugas Open, got underway last week in Argentina, with Pilará Piaget defeating La Natividad, 13-12, in the Tournament’s opening game and La Aguada beating Alegria, 13-8, on Wednesday. The weekend’s action saw the defending Tortugas Open champions, Ellerstina defeat La Natividad 17-13 and La Dolfina beat Alegria 18-14 on Sunday.
La Aguada Las Monjitas win the Season’s Opener – Jockey Club Open 2012
The Novillo Astradas led their La Aguada Las Monjitas team to victory in the first major high-goal tournament of the Argentine season, defeating Chapa Uno, 11-9, in the Jockey Club Open Final on 23 September 2012.
The game was a close contest throughout and by the end of the sixth chukka, Chapa Uno were playing hard to try and peg back the score of 9-7. However, La Aguada’s Alejandro Novillo Astrada scored two more goals and extended his side’s lead in the final chukka. Chapa Uno scored two more goals, but it wasn’t enough as La Aguada Las Monjitas ran out the Tournament winners.
Score: La Aguada Las Monjitas: 2-0, 2-2, 4-2, 4-4, 6-5, 9-7, 11-9
MVP Award: Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr.
BPP: Anay Sur Cielito (Marcos Heguy)
Fair Play Award: Marcos Heguy (Chapa Uno)
THE TRIPLE CROWN 2012
The dates and details of the three tournaments that make up the Triple Crown 2012 are as follows:
Tournament: Tortugas Open, Argentina
Place: Tortuguitas
Club: Tortugas CC
Date: September 25 – October 13, 2012
Tournament: Hurlingham Open, Argentina
Place: Hurlingham
Club: Hurlingham Club
Date: October 16 – November 4, 2012
Tournament: 119th Argentine Open, Argentina
Place: Palermo
Club: Palermo
Date: November 17 – December 8, 2012
For more information, visit www.aapolo.com.
ROLEX AND POLO
Rolex’s association with Polo began over thirty years ago, forming a partnership based on a shared appreciation of excellence. Success on the polo field is achieved only by those who, during the intensity of the match, deliver results with precision and seamless control, moving with a grace and elegance comparable to the intricate craftsmanship of a Rolex timepiece.
Such skill is evident in Rolex Testimonee Gonzalo Pieres Jr, one of today’s most accomplished and proficient polo players. The holder of a 10 goal handicap on three continents, Pieres held the highest rankings throughout the 2009 season. He made his debut on the professional circuit in 1999 at the Argentine Open – the world’s most important polo tournament – competing ever since at many of polo’s most celebrated events. Aged 30, Pieres Jr. has already won the game’s most prestigious title, the Argentine Polo Open Championship, twice, in 2008 and again in 2010.
In the same year, with his team Ellerstina, Pieres Jr. won all three tournaments in the Argentine Triple Crown – the Hurlingham Country Club Open Championship, the Tortugas Country Club Open Championship and the Argentine Polo Open Championship. This was Pieres Jr.’s first Triple Crown, but Ellerstina’s second, having accomplished this feat in 1994, with the help of Pieres Jr.’s father, Gonzalo Pieres Sr.
Rolex’s affiliation with polo extends beyond its finest Testimonees as the official sponsor of four of the most prestigious events on the international polo calendar: the Buenos Aires Jockey Club Open Championship (since 2005), the Tortugas Country Club Open Championship (since 2000), the Hurlingham Club Open Championship (since 1979) and the renowned Argentine Polo Open Championship (since 1979).
Held in Argentina, a nation passionate about polo, each of these championships attracts the world’s best players, whose ability to master the delicate balance between horse and rider is unrivalled. These four events are among the oldest tournaments in the sport, dating back to 1890 with the Hurlingham Club’s first match and 1893 with the start of the Argentine Polo Open Championship.
In 2011, Rolex consolidated its affiliation with polo by becoming the Official Timekeeper of the Asociación Argentina de Polo (AAP), the sport’s governing body, and its playing field in Pilar, a province just north of Buenos Aires.
Rolex’s decision to associate itself with the governing body of the disciplines it sponsors reflects its commitment to the continued progression of each sport. The AAP is dedicated to promoting polo while remaining true to the noble spirit and tradition inherent to the game.
Rolex‘s sponsorship of today’s most impressive polo events reflects the brand’s long-standing and continued commitment to excellence in horsemanship.
Rod Kohler
Revolution Sports + Entertainment
E: rod@revolutionsports.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)207 592 1207