The pioneering team around Reto Gaudenzi organised
the St. Moritz tournament for 15 years. Over time, it grew
into one of the key sporting and social events of the world
polo community and a fixture in St. Moritz’s diverse winter
programme. In 1999, Gaudenzi and his team handed over
responsibility to their successors and were looking forward to
seeing their initiative flourish further.
After its 2014 edition, having lost both organisers and
financial backers, the tournament was facing an uncertain
future. Reto Gaudenzi, who by now organises polo
tournaments around the world, immediately stepped into the
breach: “We were distressed by the uncertain future of this top
event in St. Moritz’s social and sportive calendar.” Together
with other Swiss polo enthusiasts, he founded Evviva Polo
St. Moritz Ltd and made his comeback as organiser of “his”
tournament.
The weather changed overnight and the following day awoke
to brilliant sunshine, drawing a large crowd to the event. With
more than a thousand spectators and a hundred journalists
or more, the world premiere of snow polo got off to a brilliant
start.
Since then, snow polo has been adopted around the world,
which helped spread the fascination for this ancient sport
dating back to 600 BC.
The St. Moritz tournament remains unrivalled: being the only
high-goal tournament on snow, St. Moritz is still the most
important meeting place of the world snow polo community.
For more information about the next St.Moritz tournament
held on 26/27/28 January 2018 on the frozen Lake St. Moritz.
Please visit: www.snowpolo-stmoritz.com
It would have been impossible to carry out a tournament
for 32 years in a row without support from others: sponsors,
benefactors, the city council, the tourism organisations and,
not to forget, myriad volunteers have each contributed in
their way towards making the event happen.
Out of the blizzard into the world
The very first polo matches on snow were played, that said
Saturday in January 1985, in heavy snowfall, making for
minimal visibility and horses treading in deep snow, on a field
five times smaller than today. That did not prevent the novel
concept from turning into a success.
The Gentleman Magazine | 53