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Private Jets and Ponies: The Snow Polo World Cup Draws the Elite to St. Moritz

Conde Nast TravelerSaturday, February 7, 2026
Private Jets and Ponies: The Snow Polo World Cup Draws the Elite to St. Moritz

The frozen surface of Lake St. Moritz is once again the stage for the Snow Polo World Cup. This weekend, the annual spectacle transforms the Swiss Alps into a hub of high society and sport, where the sound of mallets striking the ball mingles with the distant thrum of private jets arriving at the local airport.

For decades, this tournament has marked a key date on the winter social calendar. Spectators, wrapped in furs and fine wool, gather in grandstands and private tents that line the compact field. The event is as much about the scene in the VIP pavilions as the action on the snow-dusted pitch, where elite players and their ponies navigate the unique, slippery challenge.

Correspondent Jessica Sulima is reporting from the ground, observing the convergence of international wealth and sporting tradition. The atmosphere is a distinct blend of intense competition and lavish hospitality, with champagne flowing as freely as the game moves from chukka to chukka. It’s a vivid display of a very particular world, where global affluence meets alpine tradition for a few, glittering winter days.

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