Snow Polo: The ‘sexy’ winter version of a man, horse and stick
It's the sport of polo, but not as you know it.
Courtesy Michael Ferreira
This week's World Snow Polo Championship in Aspen, Colorado is the final 2015 stop on the World Polo Tour.
Courtesy Michael Ferreira
This version of polo is played on a snow-packed field surrounded by fencing to keep the ball in play.
Courtesy Michael Ferreira
Like arena polo -- a fast-paced version played on all-weather pitches -- teams in the snow variant have three players, one more than the traditional field format.
Courtesy Michael Ferreira
Horses are also given special cleated shoes to provide better traction and prevent slippage.
Courtesy Michael Ferreira
To make visibility easier for spectators and players, a light orange ball larger than the typical white plastic sphere is used.
Courtesy Michael Ferreira
The first official snow polo match took place in 1985, in the Swiss town of St. Moritz. The resort at the foot of Piz Bernina, the tallest peak in the eastern Alps, has hosted its version of the Snow Polo World Cup every year since.
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In recent years, China has started another Snow Polo World Cup event in Tianjin, with the backing of governing body the Federation of International Polo.
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The Austrian town Kitzbuehel also hosts its own Snow Polo World Cup, which it bills as the "world's largest polo tournament on snow." The 15th staging will be in January 2016.
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Organizers say the Aspen event, which runs from Thursday to Saturday, is the only snow polo tournament in the U.S.
Courtesy Michael Ferreira
The 2015 Aspen competition will feature players like Nic Roldan, Jeff Hall and Nacho Figueras (pictured), who is often referred to as the "David Beckham of polo."
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"To be able to play polo in this environment with this background is really fantastic, and another great way to introduce people to the sport of polo," Figueras said in previewing the event for polo broadcast specialist Chukka TV.
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Figueras (pictured here in black) has also modeled for Ralph Lauren and is a sporting icon in his native Argentina. He believes snow polo can help promote the sport and attract new fans.
Courtesy Gary Hubbell
"One of my missions in life is to bring polo to the world, to give people more of an idea of what it is all about," Figueras said. "I want to raise awareness of the sport I fell in love with at an early age."
Courtesy Michael Ferreira
Figueras, whose image also adorns a series of recently released romance novels, added his own flourish when describing the most attractive aspects of polo. "There is something very sexy about a man and a horse," he said. "The speed and the adrenaline, it's very appealing for women, that's a fact."
