Reflecting on the performances of the two finalists in this year’s dramatic Argentine Open Championship, one can only imagine the potential for next year’s campaign. Last year Ellerstina lost in overtime to the 40-goal LaDolfina powerhouse. This year LaDolfina lost to a young and improving 39-goal Ellerstina team in overtime.
The horses, the players, the play was spectacular, but there is a chance that the Argentine Polo Association is going to shoot themselves in the foot.
There is a rumor floating around that one of the LaDolfina members is going to have their handicap lowered to 9-goals. A tragedy in light of the closeness of play and talent on the field. Instead the association should raise Juan Martin Nero the 10-goals (a rating he holds in both England and the United States) and look forward to the possibility of next year’s Abierto featuring the possibility of a true 40-40 championship match!
The prospect of having two 40-goal teams in competition is breathtaking. The ability to defend the decision of leaving the players at their 10-goal handicaps is an easy one.
Now we’ll just have to wait and see just how intelligent the Argentine Polo Association actually is, and how important the future of polo in Argentina is.
th0000001216am08, 22008vUTC12bUTCTue, 16 Dec 2008 00:41:12 +0000 11, 2007...08:46p12
Argentine Open Has a Chance for Greatness
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3 Comments
th0000001216pm08, 22008vUTC12bUTCTue, 16 Dec 2008 21:23:54 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p12
Changing the ratings to accommodate the Argentine Open in my opinion is not helpful to the sport or the future of any Polo Association. The rating system has to be based on the the players abilities. Changing the rating to accommodate the open would adversely change the over all out come of who wins or loses.
(The prospect of having two 40-goal teams in competition is breathtaking.) I would have to agree with you on this statement. Like all good things sometimes we must wait.
th0000001217am08, 32008vUTC12bUTCWed, 17 Dec 2008 00:09:47 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p12
I appreciate your naivete, but you must know that even at the upper echelons, politics raises its ugly head. What I’d like to see you justify is how anyone on a 40-goal team can have their handicap lowered after losing, in overtime, to a 39-goal team (the team’s 9-goaler carries a 10-goal rating in both the US and Europe, and was named MVP of the Open).
th0000001217am08, 32008vUTC12bUTCWed, 17 Dec 2008 03:04:39 +0000 11, 2007 at 08:46p12
(There is a rumor floating around that one of the LaDolfina members is going to have their handicap lowered to 9-goals.) Rumor is the key word.
The Argentine Polo Association I can only assume sets the ratings to ability. As to US and Europe the Argentine Open is played in Argentina. If the ratings for players was over seen by an international organization their could be no question but that is not the case. To justify any change in a players rating cannot be done over the out come of a single match.
As to politics I never met polo pony who cared.