The Palermo Final

It may be called the Cathedral of Polo, but as I look past the polo, rising above the far stands of the grounds, the minarets of the King Fahd Islamic Cultural Centre catch my eye, and I think, ‘To the polo player, Palermo is the Mecca of Polo.’

There is nothing like it.  Campo de Polo de Argentina, or simply Palermo, as we know it, is the home of the most important polo trophy in the world, the Argentine Polo Open.

I am with a diverse group of 10 aficionados.  We have journeyed here from Kuala Lumpur, Perth, Belfast and Gloucestershire.  We hug our Argentinian hosts and meet with friends, old and new, from America, Canada, India, Greece, Jamaica, Pakistan, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Singapore, UK, all joined in a love for the fastest, and oldest ball sport the world has known. We are but a few of the congregation of semi-religious polo fanatics that have made the annual pilgrimage to worship at our Ka’bah.

I have always been a La Dolfina fan.  Watching the young guns of La Natividad take on the old warriors of Adolfo Cambiaso, Pelon Stirling and Juanma Nero, I am reminded that even Cambiaso took on a young gun to keep his legacy alive.  Poroto Cambiaso, his son, and now the youngest 10-goaler ever, brings the speed and reflexes of youth to an experienced, but aging side.

Horse-power is a great leveller, but youth have a certain fearlessness to fly.  Dolfina’s experience and anticipation shackles the La Natividad quickness, and it is not till the eighth chukka that there is a sole Jeta Castagnola breakaway in the game.

Instead, it is Juanma Nero who captures the Gonzalo Heguy MVP Award.  Experience, and a team strategy that nullifies the Natividad threat, also leaves Juanma free to carry the flag for Dolfina.

Cambiaso, so different a player from the flying youth I first saw as a 6 -goaler in 1991, is now a player who uses his brilliant head as much as his clone-fast horses, playing off the scale again.  He has redefined 10-goals for more than a decade, but even as his son always rises, Adolfo senior is the defining 10-goaler.

Earlier in the day, we pay homage to Palermo, visiting the #2 to watch the ladies play the Argentine Women’s Open final, final to the big game.  The Women’s Open is played on Finals Day, but has yet to be played on Palermo’s #1.

As our host Agustin Andrada was injured at a match in the 14-goal Thai Polo Cup, we made it a point to sit in the Manuel Andrada stand at the #2, and visit the Manuel Andrada square, the tribute to the original Paisano, his grandfather.

The Ladies final is interesting to watch, to assess the other Cambiaso, Mia, who rises from 7 to 8 in ladies handicap after winning this final.   It is the sisters Mila and Candy Fernandez Araujo who are main players, and the engine is the great Nina Clarkin, a true women’s 10 goaler.  They cruise past La Irenita E-Movility to an easy 10-6 win.

The mares rule on the playing field.  The best ponies are all female.  I can’t tell a Cuartetera clone from another.   It is not a clone though that wins Best Playing Pony.  Irenita Harinosa, ridden by David Stirling wins the Lady Susan Townley trophy for BPP.   Breeding moves on, while clones remain the best of the past.

In the Open final, Poroto is the big winner.  The final score of 13-9 almost belied Dolfina’s dominance.  At age 17, Poroto picks up a first winner’s medal.  The first kid since 1983 and now the youngest to win with his father, eclipsing the great Benjamin Araya, who won the Open three times, but inexplicably was not raised to 10.

The AAP don’t make the same mistake with Poroto, raising him to 10 goals, a few days later.  At 17 years and 11 days, Poroto has become the youngest ever to be given this 10-goal honour.

Soaking in the post-match atmosphere at Palermo is intoxicating.  There is nothing like it.  High goal players are reduced to fan boys of the two 39-goal teams.

It is only days later that we realise that we shall not see a La Natividad, or an Ellerstina, in their current line-up.  Changes are usually made slowly, but this year seems to be watershed year.  Every team realises something drastic has to be done to challenge Dolfina’s 40-goal perfection.

The HPA may have dropped Adolfo to 9 goals.   But even at 47, Adolfo Cambiaso proved he is still the Pope, in his Palermo cathedral. Perfection.