Last weekend, the Patagonia Beach Polo IV Edition was held in Puerto Pirámides, an event that was developed with a significant attendance of the local public and visitors, while the coverage of the activity was broadcast through specialized sports media. including ESPN Polo, Polo Champagne and Cavalier Polo. Unforgettable moments were intermingled with the natural landscapes that the spa town offers, configuring a perfect postcard in terms of sports, tourism and culture.
Within the framework of the “Emilio Jorge Ferro” Cup, the winning team was the Puerto Pirámides Polo Team (Juan Cruz Losada, Horacio Heguy, Juan Medina and Alejandro Ferro) who beat the Escorihuela Gascón Polo Team (Benjamin Araya, Cristobal Diurreu) 2-1. and Mariano Etcheverry, Pete Araya MVP of the tournament).
In the “Copa Ballenas” the winner was the Comodoro Polo Team that beat Tromen Polo Team 3-2 in a match with goals from runs from all over the pitch.
In the Women’s category, the “Diana Spencer Cup” was won by the Cavalier Polo Team (Mumi Bellande, Mora Fernandez, Misael Garro and Mercedes Astorga MVP player) who beat the Jameson Polo Team (Mercedes Prario, Ludmila Brizuela, Gabriela Vouchers and Praskovia Roshchina).
This edition also had 16 players and 2 professional players. The presence of Horacio Heguy, a former 10 goal handicap player and winner of 6 Argentine Polo Opens, was highlighted, as well as players who are active abroad such as Michel Dorignac, Benjamin Araya, Juan Medina, Cristobal Diurreu, Jacinto Amadori, Bautista Alberdi and Ramiro Tarayre. . Among the players, the professionals Mercedes Prario and “Mumi” Bellande, athletes from the Argentine Women’s Polo Open, stood out.
There were interviews and stories from Jero Llorente and Gustavo Sgalla, official representatives of ESPN Polo, while the event was also accompanied by representation from the Country Brand and the Argentine Polo Association, and declared “Of National Tourist Interest” by the Ministry of Tourism of the Nation, chaired by Matías Lammens.
Within the framework of this edition, we sought to strengthen the concept of “Polo-Tourism”, as has been happening in different parts of the country. Today the “Ruta del Polo” has destinations such as Mendoza, Bariloche and Salta, adding to this circuit the Valdés Peninsula with the towns of Puerto Madryn and Puerto Pirámides; in the latter case, of great attraction for being considered the best place in the world for whale watching and for being the National Capital of the Southern Right Whale. The “Península Valdés Natural Heritage” (declared in 1999 by UNESCO) combines its history of having been populated by Italian and Spanish families for the most part, with the production of superfine merino wool in an area surrounded by cliffs and marine and terrestrial fauna.
Puerto Pirámides, for its part, is today the number one destination where more than a thousand southern right whales choose to breed. Founded at the end of the 19th century by Alessandro Ferro, the natural port was used to transport salt to Buenos Aires, via the salt train that operated until 1910. Today it is attractive due to its excellent gastronomy, varied hotel offer and the possibility of carry out different activities such as diving, snorkelling, fishing, horseback riding, hiking and visits to colonies of elephant seals and Magellanic penguins in Caleta Valdés.
“These four editions of Patagonia Beach Polo have surely opened up a new option to visit the Valdés Peninsula and Puerto Pirámides, and combine polo with tourism in one of the most extraordinary and virgin places that still remain in the world,” said the mayor. Fabian Gandon.
