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What will you call a Swiss version of regular polo; polo played on white snow, with the added beauty of nature and a lot of harsh, brutal and cold weather? Well, it’s actually called Snow Polo. The sport was born in St Moritz in Switzerland, and the first tournament of the championship was played in 1985 over a frozen lake. The St Moritz Snow Polo World Cup attracts the world's upper crust, who dress in flamboyant furs, sleep in VIP tents, and sip champagne while watching riders compete on the sweeping snowfields.

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St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship

Every year, the St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship is held in Aspen over two sunny days. The event not only kicks off Aspen's holiday season, but it has evolved into a global draw for both Aspen and St. Regis Aspen, whose iconic property near Ajax Mountain attracts fashionable skiers and non-skiers looking for a luxe mountain getaway. St. Regis Aspen is ground zero for the Aspen experience and embodies everything guests love about snow polo itself, whether sipping champagne in the Mountain Social lounge, soaking at Remède spa, or shopping in luxury boutiques just blocks away.

The Ganzi family, led by patriarch Marc Ganzi, is the driving force behind the Aspen Valley Polo Club and Aspen's rendition of snow polo, the only location in North America to host the unique take on the "sport of kings." This year marked the tenth anniversary of snow polo in Aspen, where it has become a popular holiday tradition for both locals and visitors.

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St. Regis team polo captain and proud Argentine Nacho Figueras said in a statement, “The St. Regis World Snow Polo Championships are always a celebratory way to end the year – all the more so on the heels of Argentina’s World Cup victory this year.” He added, “My family loves coming to Aspen, especially in December, and to be able to play polo here, surrounded by so many friends and family, is incredibly special.”

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The final match of the St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship

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The final match pitted whisky company Blade and Bow against St. Regis, which is also the event's title sponsor. Blade and Bow won the 10th anniversary of the championship this year. Tommy Biddle, one of the all-time great American polo players, joined the winning threesome along with Grant Ganzi and Hilario Figueras. Nacho Figueras, Melissa Ganzi, and Alejandro Novillo Astrada, another highly-ranked player from Argentina, were on the opposing team with St. Regis. 

Grant Ganzi said after the match, “We were clawing back the whole game. They got a cushion on us and then they scored a quick one — my mom scored an amazing goal. And they scored another goal.” Grant further added, “It was a lot of goals we had to make up. And I missed a couple of penalties. So, honestly, I was proud of my teammates. They fought really hard and I was happy I was able to knock the penalties down the second half when they were really important.”

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