Snow Polo showcase in the Dolomites highlights Olympic Spirit
- clickpolo
- Mar 5
- 2 min read
The Valcastello Snow Polo Showcase concluded on Saturday, 28 February, with an exclusive international Test Match between the national teams of Italy and France, played in the spectacular snow-covered setting of Valcastello Polo Club (San Candido) in the heart of the Dolomites.
Part of the “Italia dei Giochi” programme—an initiative promoted by Milano Cortina 2026 in collaboration with CONI and CIP—the event carried strong symbolic value. Positioned between the Winter Olympic and Winter Paralympic periods, the showcase marked a meaningful sporting “passing of the torch” from Italy to France, host of the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.
The event was made possible through the collaboration of FISE (Italian Equestrian Sports Federation), FIP (Federation of International Polo), and FFP (Fédération Française de Polo), and offered a unique opportunity to celebrate snow polo with both the polo community and the wider public.
Played over four chukkers, the Italy–France match ended in a 4–4 draw, a result that perfectly reflected the spirit of friendship and shared ambition between the two nations.
Team Italy featured Stefano Giansanti (Captain), Michele Schettino, and Giordano Flavio Magini. Team France featured Jean-Edouard Mazery (Captain), Benoît Perrier, and Lucas Nottin.
Among the institutional guests were FIP President Piero Dillier, FFP President Jean-Edouard Mazery (who also played in the match), Silvia Marrara, Head of the Sports Diplomacy Office at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed by FISE Secretary General Simone Perillo, Davide Zanghi Dalle Olle, President of the FISE Emilia-Romagna Regional Committee, and Giovanni Schettino, President of Valcastello Polo Club.
FIP President Piero Dillier highlighted the significance of the venue and the occasion, noting both his personal connection to the mountains and the broader importance of snow polo as part of the effort to return polo to the Winter Olympic programme.
FFP President Jean-Edouard Mazery described the day as a splendid occasion and underlined the shared commitment between France and Italy to work toward polo’s return to the Winter Games.
FISE Secretary General Simone Perillo also emphasized the strength of the Italy–France partnership and the shared objective of advancing toward the 2030 Olympic Games in the French Alps, with polo as part of the journey.
The Valcastello Snow Polo Showcase stood as a celebration of sport, cooperation, and Olympic values—reinforcing a shared vision for the future of snow polo on the international stage.
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