Lucas Monteverde

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Lucas Monteverde (b. 1975) is an Argentine professional polo player, and a recent winner of the coveted Abierto Argentino, with the famous La Dolfina Team.

He was born in 1975, near the town of 25 de Mayo, Buenos Aires Province, at the estancia El Rincón. The ranch is run by his father Lucas and uncle Marcelo Monteverde, one of the world's most successful coaches.

Monteverde has played polo since a very early age and turned professional with a 5-goal handicap travelling to Europe. Today, Monteverde, has grown into one of the world's finest defensive players, well known for his outstanding work rate and horsemanship on the field. Currently with a 9-Goal handicap, Monteverde is among the world's elite polo players, playing for one of the strongest teams in the world: La Dolfina.

Monteverde's first Grand Slam win was at the 2005 Veuve Clicquot Cowdray Park Gold Cup, where he was called in as a late substitute for La Dolfina teammate Adolfo Cambiaso (regarded by many as the best polo player in the world). With a such a huge hole to fill, Monteverde led his team to victory with teammate Piki Alberdi over Black Bears, one of Britain's strongest teams.

Monteverde's most notable triumph to date, has been winning the 2005 Abierto Argentino (Argentine Open), the most important tournament in the world. With the La Dolfina team's 20-19 win over the then, unbeaten Ellerstina, the AAP raised his handicap from 8 to 9 Goals. The scoreline represented the highest scoring Abierto of all time, and despite Cambiaso's 15 goals, Monteverde's outstanding dexterity and work rate was extremely valuable to his team's victory.