LivingPolo.com

Marcos Heguy was injured at the 2010 Abierto de Hurlingham and did not recover in time for the following tournament, with his replacement at Palermo being Tomás García del Río.

This past season, del Río, who proved he was totally capable of filling in the slot vacated by Marcos Heguy during the final stage of the 2010 Triple Crown, appeared to be returning to the Pilará team playing as a back, alongside the much-seasoned Bautista Heguy and with the up-and-coming Hilario Ulloa and Christian Laprida.

However, Pilará was again struck by bad luck this year.

The day before the kickoff of the Abierto de Tortugas, del Río fractured a hand and was forced to miss the entire Triple Crown. His replacement was Chile's Jaime García Huidobro (at Tortugas) and England's Luke Tomlinson (at Hurlingham and Palermo). But the team only won two of its eight matches and was never in top shape.

Bautista Heguy outlined the Pilará team's season.


LivingPolo.com: What did you think of Pilará's season?

Bautista Heguy: I consider it mediocre, it was a season in which we had bad luck with Tomás's (García del Río) injury and we had to play with reserve players, with Jaime (García Huidobro) at Tortugas and Luke (Tomlinson) at Hurlingham and Palermo. For me, it was a mediocre season.

LP: What would have turned out differently with del Río playing in the team?

Bautista Heguy: I'm not sure, no idea. We can't think in something that didn't happen, but OK, Tomás, Hilario (Ulloa) and Magoo (Christian Laprida) knew each other better and knew how each other played, they wanted to play in the same team. But I don't know what may have happened, so it's difficult to say.

LP: Apparently, La Dolfina and Ellerstina were a step ahead of the rest. Do you agree? Why was this?

Bautista Heguy: Apparently? Definitely! Both of the teams. La Dolfina was definitely better, and Ellerstina was the one that was closest to them. That was due to organization and a lot of other things that the rest of the teams, if they want to get near, they must change totally.

LP: What do you know about your own future?

Bautista Heguy: I don't know a thing, and following the handicap changes, from what I've heard, all the players are with the calculating machines in their hands, working out to see if a team can play without the need of qualifying, so I've no idea. Last year they brought down my handicap to 8 goals and they've now kept it there, so, to say the truth, I think I've practically got no chances of playing without the need of qualifying, in none of the teams.

LP: When does the season kick off?

Bautista Heguy: It's already started, with the arrival of the new horses. There are no holidays because a polo player's life is not very tough (laughs). I'm already in La Pampa with new horses and thinking about improving the organization in what refers to the horses. Later on I'll wait some time, and when the rest of the teams are confirmed I'll see what I'll do, but it's practically confirmed that we'll form a team that will have to qualify.