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Social Polo
What is so difficult to get up in Argentina, (an 80-goal match), has become an annual event at Palm Beach for many years, with an added value which makes it much more important: its proceeds go to charity. We are talking about the 40-goal Outback Challenge, which takes place at the International Polo Club like all the rest. Its denomination is due to its main sponsor, Outback, the chain of restaurants belonging to Tim Gannon, former patron of Adolfo Cambiaso’s. Other important sponsors were Crab Orchard and Berenberg Bank, whose names the teams bore. There were seven Argentines on the field: the first included Cambiaso, Sebastián Merlos, Miguel Novillo Astrada and Agustín Merlos, and the second had Facundo and Gonzalo (Jr.) Pieres, American Mike Azzaro and Mariano Aguerre, another improvised back. And the beneficiaries? Players and grooms who have been seriously injured or are sick, through the Polo Players Support Group, that has helped 21 people, the best know being Rob Walton, injured in Malaysia in 1995, and who had reached an 8 goal rating. Although not much marking is seen in this kind of game, the match did not display a great amount of goals. The fourth chukka showed a 6-6 score, and in the fifth, Crab Orchard made three goals running which took them to 9-6 and put them almost out of reach. Berenberg Bank was not able to reduce this difference to less than two goals, although they had their chance close to the end when Facundo Pieres shot a 120 yard stroke which would have put them 10-11, but it went wide. If it had gone in, there would have been more suspense in those last 70 seconds. It was Agustín Merlos who received the M.V.P. award, having been the highest scorer of the match despite playing as back. Tincho, who made 5 goals–all in the second half–, said: “it’s always a game that’s fun to play, because one has the motivation of being able to help people, and that’s an important reason. Having made the most goals was just chance, because I had more opportunities. We just wanted to play a classic polo which is nice for people to watch”. His mate, Miguel Novillo Astrada, said: “it was fun, and it’s nice to play this kind of polo. I am honoured to have participated in this match because that means that I’m among the best players. And it’s wonderful to be able to help others by doing what we love to do”. There were other charity events, such as a 22 goal exhibition in honour of Jimmer Newman, a promising 24-year-old polo player who died tragically in 2004; an auction to become the patron of one of the two teams made up of three 10-goal-players and another in which the prize was a week’s polo with Cambiaso at La Dolfina, including three nights at the Alvear Palace hotel. Argentina was also present as a sponsor in the form of La Martina, among several others.
CRAB ORCHARD BERENBERG BANK TOTAL: 40 TOTAL: 40Crab Orchard goalers: Cambiaso, 3; S. Merlos, 1; Novillo Astrada, 2, and A. Merlos, 5. Berenberg Bank goalers: F. Pieres, 5; G. Pieres (Jr.), 1; Azzaro, 2, and Aguerre, 1.
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