The Swiss Reto Gaudenzi is one of the most impressive polo visionaries of the past four decades. He founded the Snow Polo Word Cup on the frozen lake of St. Moritz in 1985, the first Polo Game on Snow in Polo History. Organized the world's first FIP tournaments outside Argentina, invented the modern-day version of beach polo in Dubai and Miami and has established another milestone in the history of the sport in form of the Grass Arena Polo World Cup Azerbaijan for the last 10 years.
In cooperation with the respective teams of World Polo and local partners, Gaudenzi has founded tournaments across the world. Exclusive locations, such as Courchevel (France), Miami (Florida, USA), Lech and Kitzbühel (Austria), Dubai (UAE), Miami Beach, Berlin (Germany), and St. Moritz in Switzerland are just some examples. Under the motto "Bringing Polo Home", World Polo has organized for the 10th consecutive year the Arena Polo World Cup Azerbaijan in Baku.
Together with ARAF, World Polo organized also the first ever FIP Arena Polo European Championship in Baku. Gaudenzi is known for bringing impressive locations, perfect organisation, inventive Marketing, top sport, great people and unforgettable backdrops to the world of polo. In Azerbaijan he was particularly impressed by its ancient tradition of horse-riding and the warm hospitality of the people.
In the outdoor grass polo arena of the Elite Horse and Polo Club in Baku, World Polo has overseen the establishment of an already highly impressive infrastructure. The high-definition lighting systems make matches possible at any time of day and also enable them to be filmed for television. The last film was broadcasted in 280 countries all over the world. A national Polo Team has been set up in cooperation with professional Argentine polo players Adrian and Raul Laplacette, and have already made a great impact on the polo fields all over the World by winning a Gold and a Bronze Medal at the FIP Arena EC and two Silver Medals at the FIP Europeans , the last one in September 2023 in Düsseldorf.
The AZE Team also won the Snow Polo World Cup in 2022 and 2023. The AZE Team under Gaudenzi’s management became on of the most succesfull Teams in a very short time.
In Baku there are currently 2 full size grass polo fields, and 3 Arena Polo Fields including one with Grass and one indoors. The new stables and Polo Club are already in place. World Polo has also brought almost 100 polo horses to Azerbaijan, and some local Karabakh horses are also being trained to play polo.
In Reto Gaudenzi, all partners worldwide, have an experienced, fair and passionate polo organiser at their side. The company World Polo, which was founded in 1987, has organised excellent tournaments on snow, sand and grass, including the European Championships in Berlin in 1987, the World Championships on Berlin's Maifeld sports ground in 1989, the European Championships in 1993, and the World Championships in St. Moritz two years later. Gaudenzi also introduced Beach Polo as a World Premiere in Dubai together with the Al Habtoors. And later established the Beach Polo World Cup in Miami , organised now very successfully by his Son Tito . Snow Polo World Cup Kitzbühel is also a product from Gaudenzi. The Event had ist’s 20th birthday in 2023 and is also now run with passion by Tito Gaudenzi and his Team.
Gaudenzi himself started playing polo in 1978 in Sotogrande, Spain. He was captain and founder of the Swiss national team with a handicap of +3 and founder and President of the Swiss Polo Association. FIP has appointed him as founder Ambassador for life. He has played polo across the world and won Switzerland's only polo accolade so far at the European Championships in 1993 with the Swiss national team. He also won the Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz 5 times. He played Polo on all levels up to 22 Goals his position mostly Back.Today Gaudenzi is mainly busy with the Snow Polo World Cup St Moritz which celebrates the 40th birthday in 2025. He also has Polo projects in Mauritius, Dubai and Romania and other Destinations going on.
"In 1978, I was running hotels in Spain and was introduced to polo by a friend. And then in 1980, I won the Gold Cup with my team in Sotogrande". Gaudenzi remains an enthusiastic amateur polo player since 46 Years .World Polo will organize as next Event the 39th Snow Polo World Cup in St Moritz, Switzerland from the 26th to the 29th of January 2024, the best Snow Polo Tournament in the World.
Polo tournaments organised by Reto Gaudenzi:
Snow
- St. Moritz, CH 24x*
- Las Leñas, AR 2x*
- Lech, AT 2x*
- Kitzbühel, AT 5x*
- Courchevel, F 2x*
- Moscow, R 1x *
- Bariloche, ARG 1x
*Creator/Producer