25.000 of spectators who strolled through the PoloVillage, enjoyed the exclusive atmosphere and soaked up the sun in the packed stands as the most glamorous and spectacular snow polo event in the world reached its climax. Once again, CEO and founder Reto Gaudenzi made the decision that today’s competition would be a series of penalty shoot outs, rather than the usual four chukka format. Whilst the ice is safe at a depth of 40centimetres, recent warm weather has meant preparing the optimal playing surface has not been possible. Inorder to preserve the high standards of this elite high goal polo tournament and the highest levels of safety –for both the ponies and players – today each player had to take four penalties each: two from 30 yards out andtwo from 50 yards.

In the hotly anticipated Final – by definition featuring the two best teams of the tournament The Kusnacht Practice and Mackage opposites. It was Lidia Gauss, Captain of theMackage team and the only lady left in the tournament, who started the scoring account for Mackage, slottinga seemingly effortless goal through the posts and another five 30 yard goals followed from her trio of poloprofessionals. The Kusnacht Practice answered with six goals at the 30 yard distance with strong play fromyoung British player Hugo Taylor, experienced Nico San Roman and team Captain Eduardo Greghi bringingthe half time total to a too close to call six goals apiece.It was all to play for in the final period of play, which saw the true polo pedigree of Jack Hyde shine through.His father ‘The Polo Professor’ Chris – a former 10 goal arena player has won the tournament a record seventimes. As they say, “Like father, like son” and Jack confidently followed in his father’s illustrious footsteps inSt. Moritz to follow up his earlier two goals with another two at the 50 yard distance. As the only player in theFinal to achieve a clean sweep of goals with no misses, he totally deserved the Most Valuable Player Award.The final few penalty shots saw both teams matching each other goal for goal, the scores rested at just oneapart as Nicolas San Roman took aim for the final time for The Kusnacht Practice, but the ball hit the postsmeaning that first timers to St. Moritz, team Mackage sealed the victory with a close 10:9 score.

As the first female winner of the tournament back in 2019, Melissa Ganzi had herwork cut out pitting her wits and the skill of her World Polo League team against her husband Marc ‘The Cobra’competing for The Casablanca Trophy. Despite Nic Roldan, ‘The man who can’ in the words of commentator Jan-Erik Franck, coollyslotting three goals through the posts for Flexjet, matched by his teammate Martin Jauregui with another goalhat-trick – it was not enough. Alejandro Novillo Astrada, one of the best players in the world, who won thetournament in 2019 alongside Melissa, as the only player to secure all four shots. Hisefforts, combined with Melissa’s tally of two, nudged World Polo League into the winning spot, 11:9, to secure the deal.

Lidia Gauss won The Best Playing Patron Award. The Most Valuable Player was awarded to Jack Hyde. Whilst the “Polo Times Best Looking Pony” was awarded to Ryan Pemble for Ginny, a seven year-old New Zealand mare.

Photo credit: tony Ramirez/imageofpolo.com