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Given that horse races had been held on the frozen lake since the early 1900 ’ s as well as show jumping nearby expertise was on hand on how to prepare these grounds for an equestrian event as well as on how to ride a horse on snow competitively . Still , the rehearsal one year ahead of the tournament turned into an adventure “ We didn ’ t have any polo ponies for the test match ” says Gaudenzi , grinning at the recollection “ Our riding horses might have been accustomed to snow , but they were freaked out by the polo sticks and the ball .”
The rehearsal turned into a snow rodeo rather than anything else , but the team ’ s unwavering optimism prevailed and the tournament date was set for January 1985 , but there was still a long way to go . Bringing four teams and their horses to the Engadin Valley was no minor feat — neither from a logistical nor a financial perspective . Potential sponsors were reticent ; no one was eager to bear the burden of a premiere but Hanspeter Danuser was not going to give up at the first hurdle and being resourceful managed to win over Cartier ’ s country manager Horst Edenhofer , who took to the idea convincing his managers in Paris . This ongoing partnership has stood the test of resulting in a lasting collaboration spanning some 32 years .
BUT THERE WERE UNCERTAIN TIMES TO COME
Reto Gaudenzi and his team continued to manage and organise the St . Moritz tournament for a further 15 years establishing the tournament as a key sporting and social events within the polo community . In 1999 he took a step back handing over responsibility to his successors and looking forward to seeing his initiative flourish further .
But after its 2014 edition , having lost both organisers and financial backers , the tournament faced an uncertain future . Reto Gaudenzi , who by now was organising 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 ”, said Gaudenzi .
Together with other Swiss polo enthusiasts , he founded Evviva Polo St . Moritz Ltd and made his comeback as organiser of his tournament .
Looking back Gaudenzi reflects ; It would have been impossible to carry out this type of tournament for some 32 years without support from others ; sponsors , benefactors , the city council , the tourism organisations and , not to forget the myriad of volunteers who have each contributed in their way towards making this event happen year on year . “ Out of the blizzard into the world we managed to create the very first polo match played on snow . That cold Saturday morning in January 1985 , with its heavy snowfall , making for minimal visibility and horses treading in deep snow , on a field five times smaller than today set the ground work for what we have today and event that has been adopted around the world .”
The 33rd edition of the St . Moritz Tournament will be held from 27th to 29th January 2017 .
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St . Moritz tournament remains unrivalled : being the only high-goal tournament on snow and the most important meeting place in the world for the snow polo community .