LivingPolo: news &

World polo has a varied and interesting calendar, with tournaments going ahead in many parts of the globe, and with all types of handicap ratings, be they events for men or for women. And despite all of them being well-known and attracting a huge amount of people, there is a time of the year, in one country, that stands out from the rest. It extends between September and December and the action takes place in Argentina, which is where the Triple Crown goes ahead, the world's leading and always much-awaited trilogy of tournaments which attracts polo fans from all around the globe. Although each end of the year the Triple Crown is amply reviewed by the media, it is worth backtracking on what is the international polo calendar's central point, which begins with the Abierto del Tortugas Country Club, then continues with the Abierto de Hurlingham, and comes to a spectacular ending with the Campeonato Argentino de Polo. Of these three tournaments, the (world's) longest-standing one is the Abierto de Hurligham, which takes place on the outskirts of Buenos Aires city. The Hurlingham Club was founded in 1888, at a time when many English families emigrated to Argentina and began playing some of the sports they played in their home country. Polo was one of those sports. Only five years went by from that year until the first edition of the Abierto de Hurlingham went ahead. The club's polo pitch had been ready since 1890 (when the first tournament was played), and not even the 1893 crisis was a reason for cancelling the initial edition of this Open, which would end up being one of the world’s most popular ones. The home team claimed the first edition (a team that later on that year would also win the first edition of the Campeonato Abierto Argentino), with Francisco Balfour, Frank Furber, C.J. Tetley and Hugo Scott-Robson in its line-up. The amount of teams was less and there were no handicap valorizations yet (handicaps were implemented as from 1911), but that Hurlingham team will always be remembered as Argentina's first great polo champion. The sport continued to grow with ever-increasing popularity, and spectator attendances also kept growing. The fact of the railway lines passing near to the club's pitch, helped, attracting many people who were intrigued and interested in this new sport. Apart from this, the club was being constantly modernized, becoming an exemplary venue and leading to many people attending the Abierto (Open). During last year's edition of the Abierto de Hurlingham, the first 80-goal (official) match took place, between Ellerstina and La Dolfina, with the first-named team claiming victory. Between 1893 and 2009, 116 editions of the tournament took place (with the exceptions of 1914, when World War I begun, and 1976, when the event was not completed), in which there were 34 different winning teams, with Coronel Suárez topping the ranks with its 20 titles. Behind that team come Hurlingham with 13, and Venado Tuerto with 9. In what refers to the Triple Crown, what follows Hurlingham in terms of a lengthy history is the Campeonato Abierto Argentino, which most people in the polo world consider as the most important and popular event in the world. Its first edition also dates back to 1893, although at the beginning it was known as the River Plate Polo Championship (today's Asociación Argentina de Polo was then known as the River Plate Polo Association), and the winning team was, as mentioned before, Hurlingham. In Argentina, the province of Buenos Aires and the southern region of the province of Santa Fe (which lies North of Buenos Aires) were where polo was most concentrated. In the two following years after the first tournament, 1894 and 1895, there were two periods: one when it took place at Hurlingham and another when it took place at Cañada de Gómez (in the province of Santa Fe), so as to reduce transportation costs. As from 1896 things changed, and the championship consisted of only one event which took place in Argentina's capital city. The Campeonato Abierto Argentino saw big changes in 1923, 30 years after its inception, when the country's regulatory entity of polo, which organized the event, changed its name to Asociación Argentina de Polo. That is when the tournament began to be known by the name it has nowadays, and also began to take place at its current venue, Palermo, in the city of Buenos Aires. Just like in the case of Hurlingham, the team that has most times won this one is Coronel Suárez (24), the first time in 1924, and the last one in 1981. Other victorious teams on various occasions at Palermo have been Hurlingham, Venado Tuerto, North Santa Fe, La Dolfina, Ellerstina, Indios Chapaleufú and La Espadaña, among several others. The great boom of the Abierto Argentino began after the event begna taking pplace at Palermo, where the venue's facilites were improved, until becoming one of the best in the world. As from then on, fans from all over the globe have travelled to Argentina between the end of November and the beginning of December, to watch first-class polo, with the teams' handicaps varying from 28 to 40 goals. The last of the Triple Crown tournaments to get going is the Abierto del Tortugas Country Club, located in Tortugas, on the outskirts of the city of Buenos Aires. This club’s history, which in later years would play host to a tournament which has much media coverage each times it takes place, begins with the curious way it received its name: many people thought that the type of polo played on the venue's fields was very slow, so the name Tortugas (or Tortoises) was given to one of the teams and, some years later, the club also chose this name. After several indecisions, the club's Open finally went ahead for the first time in 1930, although in those days no one thought that 80 years later the event would form part of the most important trilogy of events, in September each year. First of the teams to win this Open was Venado Tuerto, that in those days was already a very popular outfit. Despite the magnitude of the current event, it was not until after the decade of the seventies that it became really important, as before that there had been 12 editions in which the championship had not taken place or had not been defined due to a number of reasons. Among the teams that most won this event as usual is Coronel Suárez, together with home team Tortugas, a club which always presented some terrific teams. The history of these three high-handicap tournaments which form part of Argentina's Triple Crown is very extense and, without any doubts, a story with all the winning teams, the matches and the players would be never-ending. What we have wanted to show you here is merely a reference made to each of the three 'jewels' of world polo, outlining the more important moments of each of them. What follows is the list of each of the tournaments' winners: Abierto de Tortugas: 1930: Venado Tuerto 1931: Lanceros-General Paz 1932: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1933: Santa Paula 1934: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1935: Tortugas 1936: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1937: La Concepción 1938: La Espadaña 1939: Tortugas 1940: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1941: Tortugas 1942: La Espadaña 1943: Los Indios 1944: Militares 1945: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1946: Los Indios 1947: Militares 1948: La Alicia 1949: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1950: La Alicia 1951: Los Pingüinos 1952: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1953: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1954: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1955: Los Caranchos 1956: La Primavera 1957: Hípico Gualeguaychú 1958: Hurlingham 1959: Santa Ana 1960: Tortugas 1961: Santa Ana 1962: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1963: Santa Ana 1964: Tortugas 1965: Los Indios 1966: Tortugas (Selection) 1967: Los Indios 1968: Coronel Suárez 1969: Mar del Plata 1970: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1971: Santa Ana 1972: Coronel Suárez 1973: Santa Ana 1974: Coronel Suárez 1975: Coronel Suárez 1976: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1977: Coronel Suárez 1978: Coronel Suarez 1979: Mar del Plata 1980: Coronel Suárez 1981: Mar del Plata 1982: Mar del Plata 1983: Coronel Suárez 1984: La Espadaña 1985: Indios Chapaleufú i 1986: Coronel Suárez i 1987: La Espadaña 1988: Indios Chapaleufú 1989: Coronel Suárez 1990: Indios Chapaleufú II 1991: Indios Chapaleufú II 1992: Ellerstina 1993: La Martina 1994: Ellerstina 1995: Ellerstina 1996: Indios Chapaleufú I 1997: La Baronesa 1998: Tortugas La Picaza 1999: La Cañada 2000: Indios Chapaleufú II 2001: No se definió 2002: Indios Chapaleufú II 2003: La Aguada 2004: La Aguada 2005: Ellerstina 2006: Indios Chapaleufú II 2007: Ellerstina 2008: Ellerstina 2009: Ellerstina Abierto de Hurlingham: 1893: Hurlingham 1894: The Casuals-Flores 1895: Las Petacas-The Casuals 1896. Las Petacas 1897: Hurlingham 1898: The Casuals 1899: Hurlingham 1900: La Victoria 1901: San Carlos 1902: Hurlingham 1903: Hurlingham 1904: North Santa Fe 1905: Hurlingham 1906: North Santa Fe 1907: Western Camps 1908: North Santa Fe 1909: Western Camps 1910: Las Rosas 1911: North Santa Fe 1912: North Santa Fe 1913: North Santa Fe 1914: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1915: Palomar 1916: North Santa Fe 1917: North Santa Fe 1918: Hurlingham 1919: Las Rosas 1920: Hurlingham 1921: Hurlingham 1922: Santa Inés 1923: Las Rosas 1924: Santa Inés 1925: Hurlingham 1926: Hurlingham 1927: Hurlingham 1928: Santa Inés 1929: Las Rosas 1930: Santa Inés 1931: La Rinconada 1932: Santa Paula 1933: Hurlingham 1934: Los Indios 1935: Los Indios 1936: Santa Paula 1937: Coronel Suárez 1938: El Trébol 1939: Coronel Suárez 1940: El Trébol 1941: El Trébol 1942: El Trébol 1943: El Trébol 1944: Venado Tuerto 1945: Venado Tuerto 1946: Venado Tuerto 1947: Venado Tuerto 1948: Venado Tuerto 1949: Venado Tuerto 1950: Venado Tuerto 1951: Tortugas Aurora 1952: Coronel Suárez 1953: Coronel Suárez 1954: Venado Tuerto 1955: Venado Tuerto 1956: Tortugas Aurora 1957: Coronel Suárez 1958: La Alicia 1959: El Trébol 1960: Santa Ana 1961: Coronel Suárez 1962: Coronel Suárez 1963: Coronel Suárez 1964: Coronel Suárez 1965: Coronel Suárez 1966: Selección Nacional 1967: Santa Ana 1968: Coronel Suárez 1969: Selección Nacional 1970: Mar del Plata 1971: Coronel Suárez 1972: Coronel Suárez 1973: Santa Ana 1974: Coronel Suárez 1975: Coronel Suárez 1976: EVENT NOT COMPLETED 1977: Coronel Suárez 1978: Los Cóndores 1979: Coronel Suárez 1980: Mar del Plata 1981: Coronel Suárez 1982: Coronel Suárez 1983: Coronel Suárez II 1984: Coronel Suárez 1985: Indios Chapeleufú II 1986: La Aguada 1987: Indios Chapeleufú II 1988: La Espadaña 1989: La Espadaña 1990: La Espadaña 1991: Centauros 1992: Indios Chapeleufú 1993: La Martina II 1994: Ellerstina 1995: Ellerstina 1996: Indios Chapaleufú I 1997: La Baronesa 1998: Indios Chapaleufú I 1999: Ellerstina 2000: La Dolfina 2001: La Dolfina 2002: La Dolfina 2003: La Aguada 2004: Indios Chapaleufú 2005: Ellerstina 2006: La Dolfina 2007: Ellerstina 2008: La Aguada 2009: Ellerstina Abierto Argentino: 1893: Hurlingham 1894: The Casuals 1894: Flores 1895: Las Petacas 1895: The Casuals 1896: Las Petacas 1897: Hurlingham 1898: The Casuals 1899: Hurlingham 1900: La Victoria 1901: San Carlos 1902: Hurlingham 1903: Hurlingham 1904: North Santa Fe 1905: Hurlingham 1906: North Santa Fe 1907: Western Camps 1908: North Santa Fe 1909: Western Camps 1910: Las Rosas 1911: North Santa Fe 1912: North Santa Fe 1913: North Santa Fe 1914: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1915: Palomar 1916: North Santa Fe 1917: North Santa Fe 1918: Hurlingham 1919: Las Rosas 1920: Hurlingham 1921: Hurlingham 1922: Santa Inés 1923: Las Rosas 1924: Santa Inés 1925: Hurlingham 1926: Hurlingham 1927: Hurlingham 1928: Santa Inés 1929: Hurlingham 1930: Santa Paula 1931: La Rinconada 1932: Meadow Brook 1933: Santa Paula 1934: Coronel Suárez 1935: Tortugas 1936: Santa Paula 1937: Hurlingham 1938: Los Indios 1939: El Trébol 1940: El Trébol 1941: El Trébol 1942: El Trébol 1943: El Trébol 1944: Venado Tuerto 1945: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1946: Venado Tuerto 1947: Venado Tuerto 1948: Venado Tuerto 1949: Venado Tuerto 1950: Venado Tuerto 1951: Los Pingüinos 1952: Coronel Suárez 1953: Coronel Suárez 1954: El Trébol 1955: Venado Tuerto 1956: El Trébol 1957: Coronel Suárez 1958: Coronel Suárez-Los Indios 1959: Coronel Suárez 1960: El Trébol 1961: Coronel Suárez 1962: Coronel Suárez 1963: Coronel Suárez 1964: Coronel Suárez 1965: Coronel Suárez 1966: Coronel Suárez 1967: Coronel Suárez 1968: Coronel Suárez 1969: Coronel Suárez 1970: Coronel Suárez 1971: Santa Ana 1972: Coronel Suárez 1973: Santa Ana 1974: Coronel Suárez 1975: Coronel Suárez 1976: Coronel Suárez 1977: Coronel Suárez 1978: Coronel Suárez 1979: Coronel Suárez 1980: Coronel Suárez 1981: Coronel Suárez 1982: Santa Ana 1983: Coronel Suárez II 1984: La Espadaña 1985: EVENT DID NOT TAKE PLACE 1986: La Espadaña 1986: Indios Chapaleufú 1987: La Espadaña 1988: La Espadaña 1989: La Espadaña 1990: La Espadaña 1991: Indios Chapaleufú I 1992: Indios Chapaleufú I 1993: Indios Chapaleufú I 1994: Ellerstina 1995: Indios Chapaleufú I 1996: Indios Chapaleufú II 1997: Ellerstina 1998: Ellerstina 1999: Indios Chapaleufú II 2000: Indios Chapaleufú II 2001: Indios Chapaleufú I 2002: La Dolfina 2003: La Aguada 2004: Indios Chapaleufú II 2005: La Dolfina 2006: La Dolfina 2007: La Dolfina 2008: Ellerstina 2009: La Dolfina