2019, a new year and a new Snow Polo game. For three days, the heart of the Engadin Valley was throbbing with thousands of spectators (18,000 to be precise) as witnesses. The 35th world cup, also the world’s oldest, biggest and most lavish snow polo tournament, kicked off with a good start. The pristine snow conditions and blue skies provided and ideal playing condition for the best snow polo players in the world to compete on the iconic frozen lake of St. Moritz.
The tournament was buzzing with energy with the myriad of events taking place simultaneously – polo clinics taught by former England Team Champion and Royal Salute World Polo Ambassador, Malcolm Borwick, VIP luncheons on the frozen lake, exclusive black tie dinners and late night partying at the one and only King’s Social House at Badrutt’s Palace.
And of course, it goes without say that there was plenty of Perrier-Jouet champagne going around as well a very special Royal Salute cocktail made in honor of Queen Elizabeth II.
MASERATI
A huge thank you to Maserati, the official sponsor of the tournament for the fun ride with the Levante!
FUN FACTS
Did you know that…
- St. Moritz is the cradle of snow polo. Reto Gaudenzi, today’s host and CEO, and
Hanspeter Danuser, the legendary tourism director of St. Moritz, came up with the
seemingly far-fetched idea 1983. - After two years of intensive preparation, the first tournament took place in January 1985
in a snow blizzard on a field measuring 40 by 80 meters, roughly one fifth of the size of
today’s field. - £100,000 is the average cost a top player will pay for a high-class polo pony.
- This is the only polo tournament in the world played on a frozen lake.
- Polo is a unique sport in the sense that there is no rule against men and women playing together.
- Sir Winston Churchill, a championship polo player himself, once famously said, “A polo handicap is a PASSPORT to the world.” Churchill’s love of the sport developed whilst serving in India in the late 1890s – he continued playing until he was 52-years-old.
- It is likely that each player will bring five horses or more for today’s match. Most players credit their horses for at least 80% of their game. In order to compete against the best players in the world, you must have the same calibre of horses as they do.
- All players must play with the stick in their right hand: it is illegal to hold the stick with the left hand. Therefore players who are left-handed must learn to play with their right hand.
- It takes 40 men a total of 5,600 man hours (or the equivalent of 3 man years) to erect 2,600 tons of tents, fences, grand stands and other infrastructure on the lake in under 3 weeks.
Til next year!
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