Nimble ponies thunder back and forth across a frozen lake as crowds dressed in lavish furs gasp in awe and amazement. Pinpoint passes and quick shots bring to mind the precision movements of a top-level hockey club. The action is graceful, fast, and surprisingly aggressive. Cheers ring out in the crisp winter air each time a goal is scored: Welcome to the world of polo on snow.
Each year a collection of adventurous polo players abandon the warmth of South Florida and Argentina to take on the challenge of playing their beloved sport in the snow. The cradle of snow polo is St. Moritz, a winter playground for Europe’s jet set. Situated in the Engadine Valley of eastern Switzerland, the famous Alpine village boasts a rich sporting history and a beautiful lake that, when frozen, makes an ideal—if slippery—polo pitch.
The traditional rules of polo apply in snow, but there are differences. The pitch size is smaller in both width and length. Balls are colored red for visibility and are the larger variety used in arena polo. Matches are shortened from six chukkers, or periods, to four, each lasting for the standard seven minutes. Although teams are limited to twenty horses, or five per player (half the normal allotment), the games remain fast paced.
As snow polo grows in popularity, new tournaments spring up. The exclusive home of snow polo in the United States is the World Snow Polo Championships in Aspen, Colorado. Founded in 1997 and held in the heart of this popular ski town, the WSPC has grown to be the chief rival of the Jubilee, despite being contested on a smaller pitch (about the size of a rugby field) that limits teams to three players. Played every year just before Christmas, the Aspen tournament attracts high-caliber talent, such as Argentina’s superstar Nacho Figueras, as well as celebrity spectators in town for the holidays.
WHEN: December 18-21, 2008
EVENT CHARITY: Aspen Sister Cities
CONTACT: Barry Stout
970.566.0818
barry@worldsnowpolo.com
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