The irrefutable glamour of equines on ice lured a record 15,000 spectators from Switzerland and beyond for the annual St. Moritz Polo World Cup On Snow presented by Asprey. Nearly three decades running, the event marked its inaugural “Nations Cup” format this year, in which the teams competed under the nationalities of their patrons rather than the names of their sponsors. “The cheering in the stands and waving of flags created a fantastic atmosphere that naturally also inspired the players,” says St. Moritz Polo AG’s CEO Heinz Reber. “This tournament was a kind of prototype for us and it can safely be said it’s going into production.” France emerged victorious ahead of England, Switzerland and Germany in this year’s competition—the trophy was won in a fiercely fought 5:4 final against England, in which Nacho Gonzalez scored the winning goal and seized the title of Most Valuable Player. NOWNESS commissioned new talent Simone Cavadini, a student at Switzerland’s University of Art & Design Lausanne, to capture the spectacle for his first commercial assignment, and the stunning aesthetics weren’t lost on the photographer: “When the horses run there is a snow cloud that accompanies the players. It’s spectacular.”