AbonnéSport

Does the White Turf in St. Moritz Have a Place in Modern Elite Sports?

By Cécilia Pelloux24 février 2026

A social showcase for over a century, the horse race on the frozen lake in St. Moritz has been putting on its equestrian show in the Swiss Alps over three weekends of February 2026. Striving to cultivate a more popular and contemporary image, White Turf remains nonetheless a gathering place for the wealthy, inseparable from the codes of ostentatious luxury.

Every year, 30,000 visitors gather in St. Moritz, where the bright alpine backdrop of the Engadine makes White Turf unique (Andrea Furger)

People love to see the horses sweat, run, and have fun on the snow, and some like to bet and enjoy the VIP area

Thomas Walther, president of White Turf

The White Turf horse race, created in 1907, takes place every year during the first three weekends of February in the Engadine mountains of Switzerland. Often considered a social event reserved for the wealthy, the world's most exclusive horse race is above all a spectacular show that brings together horse owners, trainers, and jockeys from around the world on the frozen lake of St. Moritz. Each year, the event welcomes around 30,000 visitors from around the world.

What makes this event so unique is undoubtedly its setting: the mountains, the vastness, and the light. St. Moritz is located at an altitude of 1,856 meters and is bathed in sunshine, with the Engadine region known for its more than 300 days of sunshine per year.

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An Event for the Whole Family

47 horses, 7 nations, 30 race stable trainers gather to compete on Sunday in gallop, trot and skijoring disciplines in St. Moritz (Andrea Furger)

“There are more than 400,000 racehorses in the world, but White Turf is the only horse race that takes place on a frozen lake,” explains Dennis Schiergen, race manager at White Turf St. Moritz. This public event is one of the most important in Switzerland. “The media always like to show rich and famous people, but White Turf has always been an event open to everyone. Yes, we have that type of audience, but we also have the locals who work and live here in the valley.”

White Turf is the only horse race that takes place on a frozen lake

Dennis Schiergen, race director at White Turf St. Moritz

The Saturday before each Sunday race is the popular Family Day. "It's important for us to welcome local families. Tickets cost between 29 and 800 Swiss francs for the VIP tent, making it an event for the general public. It's free for children up to 16 years old, so you can go with your whole family and have a good time without spending a lot of money,“ says Thomas Walther, president of White Turf.

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