Bartolomé “Barto” Castagnola: Consistency, leadership and a defining season in the 2025 Triple Crown

Introduction

The 2025 season will be remembered as one of the most significant in recent Argentine polo history. For La Natividad, it was the year of a perfect Triple Crown. And for Bartolomé “Barto” Castagnola, it marked the definitive confirmation of a process that has been building for years: sustained growth, competitive maturity and an ever more complete understanding of the game.

Barto was not only a protagonist in all three major tournaments of the season — Tortugas, Hurlingham and Palermo — but also assumed a central role within an exceptional team, where individual talent was always placed at the service of the collective.

A key role within a 40-goal team

Sharing the field with players such as Camilo “Jeta” Castagnola, Poroto Cambiaso and Adolfo Cambiaso requires more than technical quality. It demands intelligence, balance and a remarkable ability to adapt. In that context, Barto became a fundamental piece in the collective functioning of La Natividad La Dolfina.

Throughout the 2025 Triple Crown, his contribution was constant: structure in midfield, precision in front of goal when the team needed it, and a tactical awareness that allowed the side to maintain tempo in the most demanding moments. Without flamboyance or unnecessary gestures, Barto grew match by match, establishing himself as one of the team’s most reliable players.

Tortugas: solidity from the outset

The Tortugas Open marked the first major objective of the year. From that tournament onwards, La Natividad La Dolfina showed clear signs of what was to come. Barto played an active role in that strong start, providing consistency and presence in a team that was still fine-tuning its automatisms.

His play was key in sustaining intensity throughout the competition and in supporting his team-mates within a structure that consistently prioritised passing, movement and control of the match. Tortugas was not just a title; it was the foundation upon which a season built on consistency would take shape.

Hurlingham: growth and competitive maturity

At Hurlingham, the level of demand increased and matches began to mean far more than a simple result. There, Barto showed an even more complete version of his game. With greater influence, he took responsibility in decisive moments and provided clarity when contests became tighter.

The team responded as a unit, and Barto was one of the players who best understood when to accelerate and when to manage the game. That competitive maturity proved crucial in allowing La Natividad La Dolfina to arrive at the final stage of the Triple Crown in a position of strength.

Palermo: the perfect conclusion

The Argentine Open at Palermo is always the most demanding stage — not only because of the sporting level, but also because of everything it represents. In 2025, Barto arrived at Palermo in peak physical and mental condition and was one of the team’s pillars throughout the tournament.

In the final, his performance reflected the season as a whole: presence, precision and total commitment to the game plan. Palermo was not just another match; it was the confirmation of an exceptional campaign, closed out with authority and a clear identity.

The work behind the result

None of this happens by chance. Behind Barto’s season lies years of work, learning and a family structure that underpins the project. The role of Lolo Castagnola as coach was instrumental in driving his sons’ development and in building a team that understood from day one that winning is the result of doing things properly, every single day.

Barto embodies that idea perfectly: talent, yes — but also discipline, commitment and an outstanding ability to play for the team.

Closing

The 2025 Triple Crown was a collective achievement, but it was also the season that cemented Bartolomé “Barto” Castagnola as one of the most important players of his generation. Without seeking individual prominence, his game proved decisive in allowing La Natividad La Dolfina to close out a historic year.

With humility, hard work and a clear identity, Barto continues to shape his path within La Natividad Polo, as part of a project that blends family, vision and sporting excellence.