Inside Aspen Snow Polo, the World's Most Glamorous Sport

What do you get when you combine a preppy field sport with a preppy winter ski town? Snow polo, a just-as-fancy-as-it-sounds spectacle that draws glamorous crowds to places like Aspen, Austria, Italy, France, and most notably, St. Moritz, where the first-ever match was played 33 years ago.

The sport-which is quite similar to traditional polo, except for the terrain, of course-made its way to the United States via Aspen in 2001, and today, the ski town plays host to the St. Regis World Snow Polo Championship each December. Over the years, the event has grown in scope and popularity, now luring international players, big-name sponsors, and high-rolling attendees.

Its appeal is understandable, even for those who have little interest in polo. Between the cozy VIP tents, flowing champagne, and elegant horses galloping through the snow, you'd be hard-pressed to find another athletic competition that rivals snow polo's chicness.

Aspen's recent championship gave us a little insight into the cooler version of the "sport of kings." Here's what we learned.