The athletes and their majestic steeds form compositions so iconic, they almost seem surreal. Right in the middle of the Snow Polo World Cup, this captivating event has been held in St. Moritz for four decades. In front of this unique duo, a crowd of 26,000 spectators gathers, bringing color to the edges of the frozen lake—an unconventional contemporary stage for a sport that first emerged in ancient Iran.

A red ball thrown at the center of the field marks the beginning of every match, its splash of color instantly cutting through the snowy lake surface. St. Moritz, the Swiss hotspot synonymous with luxury and excellence, is the perfect postcard for a sport always associated with elegance. The entire event unfolds over three days, with the matches surrounded by moments that feel like a glossy lifestyle magazine come to life. Once this international spectacle is over, you’re left with the memory of a weekend that’s just too short, spent between a whirlwind of social events and the overwhelming beauty of a noble discipline: the perfect fusion of human skill and animal power.

A sport where the hypnotic movement and speed of thoroughbreds, swapping positions between every half, set the rhythm of entire days, almost like the soundtrack of a film. Oysters, live music, and glasses of champagne are surrounded by novices trying to step into the shoes of modern-day sporting knights, swinging mallets while riding wooden horses.

The Snow Polo World Cup is all of this, and more. It’s an immersive tradition, a window into a world of saturated colors, where even the audience, captured in their spontaneity, becomes a central and indispensable part of this unique event—captured for Athleta Magazine through the lens of Gianluca Pezzato.