77dozendealsduring
theevent,estimates
Piergiorgio Cecco,
generalmanagerfor
CentralEuropeand
Germany. Calling
thetournamentthe
perfect blend of
“opulenceanddis-
cretion,”he saysit
complements the
brand. For NetJets
Inc.,the eventisa
welcomeextensionof
thebusinessferrying
clientstotheWorld
Economic Forum,
whichtakesplacein
nearbyDavosearlier
intheweek.About
20 flightscomeintoSt.Moritzforthepolo,thecompanysays,
a tenthofitsannualtraffictotheairport.“It’sanimportant
eventforus,andit helpsbringina youngercrowd,”saysMario
Pacifico,chiefexecutiveofficerofNetJetsinEurope.
ForlastJanuary’sevent,NetJetsflewincelebritychef
JasonAthertonfromLondontocookforabout 50 guestsat
Badrutt’sPalaceHotel.Heservedlobsterteaalongsideosci-
etracaviar,langoustinesburiedunderPérigordtruffleshav-
ings,andpoachedpearwrappedingoldleaf.Downstairsat
King’sSocialHouse,hefedVIPsata Cartiereventspicedcon-
fitducklegandflamingbakedAlaska.UpattheKulmHotel,
PernodRicardhostedan“olfactorystudiodinner,”where
drinkswerepairedwithfragrances.
“Thetimingtobeherewasperfectforme,”saysMike
Khalesi,a spectatorinJanuary.TheCEOofluxuryrealestate
brokerBeverlyHillsOnehadspenta weekminglingatthe
WorldEconomicForumbeforehoppingovertoSt.Moritzfor
thepolo.“It’sa uniqueopportunityif you’reprofessionally
movingaroundina luxurynetwork.Andassomebodyfrom
California,thesnowaddeda nicetouch.”
AsthechukkasgotunderwayonFriday,Gaudenziobserved
theproceedingsina boxabovethestands.Fromhere,polo
commentatorJan-ErikFranckwhippedupthecrowdwitha
blendofsharpanalysisoftheaction,deliveredintherapid-fire
narrationofa livestockauctioneer,andtrashyjokes.(“Theysay
therearenocanariesontheCanaryIslands.Thesamecanbe
saidoftheVirginIslands.Therearenocanaries.”)
“It’snotjusta weekendofsports,it’smoreaboutlifestyle
andglamour,” said Roberta Ruiu, who followed the polo from
the grandstand in a full-length coat with silver-feathered fur
trim and white flared pants while toting a cream Ferragamo
handbag to match. “Whether you’re a fan or not, you just
have to be here, because it’s Snow Polo St. Moritz.”
Badrutt’s Palace, perched above the shores of the lake, had
its own team in the competition. For the tournament, the hotel
became the beating
heart of St. Moritz.
General Manager
Richard Leuenberger
said the first thing he
does in the morning
is check his phone
for arrivals at the
Samedan private air-
field, where guests
are picked up by a
fleetofRolls-Royce
limousines.Thehotel
is halfHogwarts cas-
tle, half cathedral,
and by early after-
noon, an eclectic mix
of fur-dripping polo
enthusiasts, gener-
ations of returning
families,andlocalshavetransformed the black-and-white-
tiled main atrium into a procession of prosperity that ranges
from discreet to ostentatious.
Badrutt’s hosted the annual black-tie gala on Saturday ahead
of the grand finale. Once the bow ties were loosened, guests
filed into King’s Social House, a basement restaurant-cum-disco
that is Switzerland’s oldest nightclub. Revelers ordered bottles
of Dom Perignon at north of $400, and women with hair as
elaborateastheirjewelryheldcourtatthehorseshoetables.
Later,thepartymovedupthehillsidetotheSt.Moritzbob-
sleighclubhouse,a members-onlywood-paneled watering hole
that transformed after nightfall into the Dracula’s Ghost Rider’s
Club. Generations have gyrated under its disco ball shaped
like a garlic glove.
Come Sunday, bleary-eyed spectators snaked their way
down to the lake for the finals. After two days of blinding sun-
shine, snow had set in, powdering the fur coats, horses, and
grandstands. Badrutt’s team pulled off a major upset, beat-
ingthefavorite,Maserati,andbringinghomethetrophyin
thehandsofMelissaGanzi,thefirstwomantocaptaina win-
ningteamthereinthe 35 years of the tournament. The crowd
applauded one last time and drank up whatever was left of the
Champagne before filing back up the hill to their limousines
and private jets.
“What’s unique in St. Moritz is that you are so close to the
field that you can practically smell the action,” said Adrian
Laplacette Jr., a player from Argentina who rode for the team
from Azerbaijan. On the first day of the match, Laplacette came
a little too close to the action when a mallet struck his left ear,
and he required multiple stitches. But he was back on the horse
the next day. “The intensity is on another level. The horses
actually adapt to the game faster than the players.”
Laplacette’s appetite has even been whetted for more
grand-scale versions of the sport. “Still on my bucket list: ele-
phant polo,” he said. <BW>SPORTS October 14, 2019
A hundred horses are brought in from Spain, France, and the U.K. for the event