Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú came close to being knocked out, however they recovered at the right moment and now they will pursue glory against a team many consider a dream lineup. In another dramatic and unforgettable semifinal, the Heguy and Pieres combination defeated La Irenita La Hache. They were trailing 9 to 4, then in only two chukkers they rewrote a match that seemed lost. Now they will chase La Natividad La Dolfina.
This Palermo Open will not be remembered only for the successful experiment of offering free admission on certain days, which brought large crowds. It will also be regarded as the Argentino Abierto of nerve wracking and unforgettable semifinals. The favorites won, yes, but for long stretches they suffered and many spectators sensed that major upsets were brewing during the run of play.
Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú will face La Natividad La Dolfina in Sunday’s final of the Argentine Open Championship. They endured a rough afternoon during much of their Zone B decider against a renewed La Irenita La Hache, which they beat 13 to 12. At one point they looked overwhelmed midway through the fifth chukker, trailing 9 to 4 while their rival kept pressing relentlessly. That version of Ellerstina did not resemble the team that had raised questions throughout the season, with an unexpected defeat to La Hache Cría and Polo and a negative record in the Triple Crown, three wins and five losses, plus the absence of Pablo Mac Donough for two matches. Yet Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú seemed unable to make sense of what was happening on the field. They reacted late, turned slowly, and lacked the usual fire that defines them.
Hilario Ulloa and Francisco Elizalde were imposing their will in attack while also dismantling the opponent’s build up from its very origin. La Irenita La Hache kept generating danger, while Ellerstina struggled with accuracy and rhythm under the intense Palermo heat. This sluggishness lasted until 2 minutes 50 remained in the fifth period, when two fouls gave them a lifeline. It was not a spark from open play, but it was enough to revive them, and three full chukkers still remained to stage a comeback.
That fifth chukker became a turning point. The Heguy brothers raised their level according to their roles, the Pieres brothers found better structure even with Facundo dealing with an adductor issue, and the goals began to arrive. At the same time, La Irenita La Hache felt its confidence slipping away. Momentum often decides everything. Once things start flowing for one team, the rest follows naturally. When the tide turns against the other side, the fall can be sudden and difficult to understand.
The score moved from 4 to 9 to 11 to 10 in only fourteen minutes. Ulloa stopped scoring, Mac Donough lost the time and space he needed to create play, and Antonio Heguy returned to his most devastating form, the same that defined his season. He appeared everywhere, as if coming out of nowhere, like a car suddenly passing on the right. Cruz Heguy completed the picture with flawless work in defense and transition, a living manual of the backhander, perhaps formed by watching countless videos of the Ruso as a child.
In the final chukker, La Irenita La Hache showed a brief reaction and nearly tied the score when Ulloa, Du Plessis, and Elizalde missed a clear opportunity in front of the Libertador goal. Gonzaito Pieres’s mare blocked the shot by sheer luck, preventing the 12 to 12. By then Ellerstina Chapaleufú was energized and carried that blend of confidence and good fortune that usually crowns the eventual winners.
The final will be the one many predicted from the start. Two new combinations that clicked from the beginning, even though both endured complicated semifinals, as shown the previous day when UAE Polo pushed La Natividad La Dolfina to the limit. Semifinals in Palermo are often the toughest hurdle, since losing forces a team to watch the final from the stands, and some players do not even show up, frustrated by the chance that slipped away. The condition of the horses will be crucial in a schedule squeezed by high temperatures and fewer recovery days. Players carry aches and pains, but the true engines are the horses.
The final will present two teams with strong fan support, who already produced two electric battles earlier this season, both won by La Natividad La Dolfina. A Triple Crown will be on the line, along with a surge of youthful talent because this edition will feature mostly young finalists.
The Heguy cousins, in their first championship match, aim to extend their family legacy. Jeta and Barto Castagnola and Poroto Cambiaso have the chance to win all three major titles in a single year, something new for them despite their promising careers ahead. This Palermo may also be remembered for a potential farewell, Adolfo Cambiaso, who in his twenty ninth final will aim for his fifth Triple Crown and nineteenth title.
Match summary
• Ellerstina Indios Chapaleufú: Facundo Pieres 10, Antonio Heguy 8, Gonzalo Pieres 9, Cruz Heguy 9. Total: 36
• La Irenita La Hache: Hilario Ulloa 9, Francisco Elizalde 9, Pablo Mac Donough 10, Ignatius du Plessis 9. Total: 37
• Progression: 0 to 0, 1 to 2, 4 to 3, 4 to 7, 7 to 9, 8 to 10, 11 to 10, 13 to 12
• Scorers for Ellerstina: Facundo Pieres 8 (7 penalties), Antonio Heguy 2, Gonzalo Pieres 2 (1 penalty), Cruz Heguy 1
• Scorers for La Irenita La Hache: Ulloa 9 (5 penalties), Elizalde 1, Mac Donough 1, Du Plessis 1
• Judges: Matías Baibiene and Gastón Lucero
• Referee: Gonzalo López Vargas