The teams of the Argentine High-Goal-Season

While the polo season is slowly ending in Europe, it is starting in Argentina with the Tortugas Open, the Hurlingham Open and the Argentine Open. Breathtaking polo action, tactical finesse, fast ponies and the best polo players in the world – the three tournaments of the Argentine Triple Crown are promising polo on the highest level. Besides proven combinations, many news and changes are in the teams.
La Dolfina (winner of the Hurlingham Open and the Argentine Open 2011) starts with the same team line-up as in the last year. The dream-team with Adolfo Cambiaso (+10), Pablo Mac Donough (+10), David Stirling (+10) and Juan Martin Nero (+10) plays with a team handicap of +40 again this year, because David Stirling was upgraded from +9 to +10.
In the team Ellerstina (winner of the Totugas Open 2011) Mariano Aguerre (+9), playing on position three, replaced Ignacio Heguy. There were changes on the other positions as well: Nicolás Piere (+9) takes care of the offense and is supported by his brother Gonzalo Pieres (+10), whereas Facundo Pieres (+10) strengthens his team in position 4.
La Aguada isn’t a pure family team of the Novillo Astradas anymore. Besides Javier Novillo Astrada (+9), Miguel Novillo Astrada (+9) and Ingacio Novillo Astrada (+9) Guillermo Caset (+9) is in the team now, replacing Eduardo Novillo Astrada Jr. playing on position 1.
Bigger changes happened in the team Pilará. From the 2011 team is only Hilario Ulloa (+9) is left. Sebastián Merlos (+9) coming back to Pilará, Francisco Bensadón (+9) and Francisco de Narváez (+8) support him.
The only newcomer of this season is the team La Natividad. Bartolomé “Lolo“ Castagnola, who played for the team Estancia Grande Sancor Seguros at the Argentine Open 2011, has built up a totally new team with Pablo Pieres (+8), Ignacio Heguy (+9) and the Brasilian Ribeiro Andrade (+8).
The Candian Frederick Mannix (+8) has changed his team Alegría, too. With Lucas Monteverde (+9) as well as the brothers Augustín Merlos (+9) and Juan Ignacio Merlos (+8) there are three new members in his team.