NEWS

Peaking the interest of 10-goaler Polito Pieres with her impressive pedigree, Machitos Pangia (Durazno x Pandora) catapulted her career as part of an elite string of equine athletes, quickly distinguishing herself to be one of his best at just eight-years-old. Prized for her nimble athleticism and explosive acceleration, Machitos Pangia is the mare Pieres reserves for key plays in a tight game, especially adept gaining momentum when the win is on the line. Handling on the field like a high-performance vehicle, she can effortlessly switch from incredible velocity to turning with pinpoint accuracy. Purchased from John Muse in Argentina, Machitos Pangia matured her skills in the Tortugas Open, the first leg of the Argentine Triple Crown, before arriving stateside to compete for Aspen in the 2019 GAUNTLET OF POLO®.

Playing the game with Ellerstina’s signature grit and flair, Pieres ascended through the ranks, joining his cousin Facundo Pieres to achieve the highest rating in 2015 at just 28-years-old. Always in search of exceptional horses to match his level, Pieres has found the ingredients present in Machitos Pangia, a bay equipped with every gear to challenge his three cousins and GAUNTLET rivals Facundo, Gonzalito (Pilot) and Nico Pieres (Coca-Cola). Sitting down with Polito Pieres at the La Indiana barn in Wellington, Florida, the USPA learned about the young horse’s natural talent and how Pieres’ keen eye for recognizing quality quickly blossomed into a solid partnership.

What is her breeding?

“Machitos Pangia is by Duranzo (Pucara x Guinda), a Los Machitos stallion, and out of Pandora, an American Thoroughbred mare that John Muse owned and Mariano Aguerre played in the Argentine Open in 2010. John Muse purchased Machitos Pangia’s mother Pandora from Scott Devon in 2009. She [Pandora] was found in Canada by Todd Offen who played for Devon and managed his string. Mariano Aguerre agreed to give John access to Durazno in exchange for allowing him to play Pandora in the Argentine Open.”

How did she come to be in your string?

“I tried her in Argentina from Andres Weisz, John Muse’s operating partner in their joint breeding program in Argentina. When I first tried her, I loved her mouth and how sensitive she was. She stopped really well and although she didn’t run much, I knew she would run with me. She could stop really fast, so I didn’t care about the speed, but as soon as I got her I played a couple of practices and then she started running more. I played her in the Tortugas Open when she was seven-years-old. She played in Argentina for a little bit and then I sent her to Florida. Last year she was one of my best horses.”

What chukker do you typically play her?

“I normally play her in the beginning of the game because she is amazing in the first chukker. I also want to save her for the fifth or sixth chukker. I always try to bring her out when we are losing, during a tied game or in the last couple of minutes because on her I know I can score a goal or make a nice play for my teammates.”

Does she have any other siblings who play?

“According to John Muse, Durazno and Pandora also produced a full sister, Machitos Petrus, who I played in the Argentine Open the last two years under a lease arrangement. Michael Bickford is playing Machitos Pontiac, a full brother of Machitos Pangia, in the GAUNTLET OF POLO®. John Muse is playing Machitos Prisa, another full sister to Pangia and will be playing her in California this summer. Although Pandora passed away two years ago she has a number of other daughters who show a lot of promise and are still in training in Argentina.”

What are her best qualities on the field?

“She is a different horse from the rest of my string. Her mouth is amazing, when you pull her just a little bit she almost steps backwards. There was a goal I scored last year on her on Facundo [Pieres] during the first chukker of the 2019 USPA Gold Cup® Final, which has not happened many times. She stops and goes backwards, but she also has a lot of explosion. She is a mare I can count on to stop quickly, turn quickly, plus she’s fast and intelligent. She has many qualities that make a good horse.”

Describe her personality.

“In the barn she is very quiet, but when you ride and play her she acts a little crazy, in a good way. At the beginning of the season in the first practices she likes to buck and jump when you start riding and she’s a little mean, but I think good horses are like that sometimes. She’s kind of a character.”

What are your plans for her in the future?

“In two years I could see her in Argentina playing with La Natividad when she is a little older. I’m going to try to take her to Argentina in a couple years, but she is still young so for right now I plan to play her for a couple of years here in Florida. Now she will have a long rest in Virginia and hopefully we can play the entire 2021 GAUNTLET OF POLO® together.”