Adolfo Cambiaso is still dreaming after 10th U.S. Open polo win

As soon as the curtain closed on the US high goal polo season in Wellington with a win for La Dolfina/Tamera in the U.S. Open Polo Championship, Adolfo Cambiaso had his sights set on his next career milestone.

La Dolfina/Tamera pictured with USPA Chairman, Stewart Armstrong. L to r: Adolfo Cambiaso, Diego Cavanagh, Matt Coppola and Alejandro Poma. Photo: Sarah Eakin

“I never stop dreaming,” the just-turned 50-year-old said of his tenth U.S. Open title, secured with a 12-8 victory in the finals against La Dolfina/Catamount, captained by his 19-year-old son Poroto Cambiaso. “I never thought that I would be at 50 winning the U.S. Open. I am going to try to win the Argentine Open with my nephews and Poroto, that is my goal.”

Poroto Cambiaso – a popular player with post- U.S. Open autograph hunters. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Poroto and Adolfo both came to the U.S. Polo Assn. Field One at the National Polo Center with a point to prove in front of a capacity crowd. La Dolfina/Catamount had made a late run in the season, but making the finals provided an opportunity for Poroto and his 18-year old teammate Rufino Merlos to defend their U.S. Open Polo Championship title win in 2024 with La Dolfina – secured with a defeat of Adolfo and Valiente.

Best playing pony Dolfina Binter of the U.S. Open final was part of a larger winning string, presented with her award by Scott Swerdlin. Photo: Sarah Eakin

Adolfo, meanwhile, was keeping track of the score. “Last year I lost two finals and they beat me,” he said of the U.S. Open loss last winter that came on the back of a defeat in the USPA Gold Cup final to La Dolfina. “And he’s [Poroto’s] been beating me too much.” Adolfo did not have a lean winter, kicking off with a win in the C.V. Whitney Cup, but it was Poroto and La Dolfina/Catamount who put paid to any chances of winning the entire Gauntlet of Polo – a series of three tournaments – when they knocked La Dolfina/Tamera out of the running in the quarterfinals stage. Also Adolfo noted that Poroto had beaten him in the Queen’s Cup semifinals in England last summer, so it was time to balance the books. “Sometimes one game is more important than three or four, so let’s see,” he said.

Level pegging at halftime on 6-all in the finals of the U.S. Open, La Dolfina/Tamera tipped the second half of the match in their favor. Adolfo, Matt Coppola, Diego Cavanagh and team owner, Alejandro Poma, scored three goals apiece for the 12-goal tally, evidence if it was needed that Adolfo used all the resources at his disposal for the win.

Alejandro earned Most Valuable Player for his contribution. Adolfo took home the Willis Hartman Trophy Best Playing Pony, presented by Palm Beach Equine, for La Dolfina’s mare, Dolfina Binter (Dolfina Lapa x Dolfina Guitarreo) who was part of his trusted string. While there were a multitude of horses fieldside, Adolfo Cambiaso explained that he usually depended on just half a dozen. “I know which horses I’m going to play,” he said. “I didn’t double much. I have my list of six and I try to keep on that list of six.” The talented horse list was recognized as the Best Playing String in the National Polo Center’s End of Season Horse Excellence Awards.

Sights set on the next target – Adolfo Cambiaso shares his thoughts on his tenth U.S. Open final victory. Photo; Sarah Eakin

Sandwiched between now and the Argentine Open – the culmination of the Triple Crown – is the high-goal season in England with 19 teams vying for contention. But the announcement at the end of last year that Adolfo and Poroto would join forces with their relatives (nephews/cousins) Bartolome and Camila “Jeta” Castagnola in the La Natividad lineup for the 2025 Argentine Triple Crown season, has set the bar high for those in contention. “For me to play with the young guys like that is a great opportunity for me and I need to just go and enjoy it,” Adolfo said.

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