Bartolome “Barto” Castagnola achieved the 10-goal handicap at age 20, joining an exclusive group of players who have reached polo’s maximum rating before their 21st birthday. Born December 5, 2000 in Argentina, Barto is the elder of the two Castagnola brothers who form the backbone of La Natividad. He has won the Argentine Open and the Triple Crown, placing him among the most accomplished players of his generation.
Barto’s playing style is built on power, precision, and positional intelligence. While his younger brother Camilo is often described as the more explosive of the two, Barto provides the structural foundation that allows La Natividad’s attack to function. The partnership between the brothers is instinctive, developed through years of playing together from junior polo through to the 40-goal level. Together they represent one of the great sibling combinations in the sport’s history.
For the 2026 Argentine Triple Crown, Barto plays for La Natividad La Dolfina alongside Camilo, Adolfo Cambiaso, and Poroto Cambiaso. This 40-goal team competes in the Hurlingham Open, the Tortugas Open, and the Argentine Open at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Buenos Aires. The combination of two sets of brothers (and a father-son pair within one of those sets) gives La Natividad La Dolfina a unique chemistry that is difficult for opposing teams to disrupt.
In the American season, Barto competes for Audi at the USPA National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida, playing through the C.V. Whitney Cup, USPA Gold Cup, and U.S. Open. At 25 years old in 2026, Barto is entering the prime years of what already looks like a career that will accumulate a long list of major titles.