White Turf | Elegance and Adrenaline

Do you ski? Or maybe you enjoy a calm tour with the snowshoes? Today, we want to share with you our experience with a very different winter sport that we discovered thanks to Longines. But let's start from the beginning!

Driving through winter wonderland

Our adventure starts near the Swiss capital of Bern. We pack our winter stuff into the versatile Land Rover Discovery Sport and arrive after a 3 hour drive at the famous Julier Pass in the Canton of Grisons.

We chose the Discovery Sport for this trip because of its flexible 5+2 seating, clever storage solutions and enough space for everyone. With its distinct contours, perfectly balanced proportions and characteristic design, it is also aesthetically pleasing!

After some kilometers of pure driving pleasure we arrive on top of the Julier Pass. Here, we are happy to be wearing our AW Driving Gloves. With the many times we get out of the car to take photos, our hands would feel uncomfortably cold to drive.

Exploring St. Moritz' rich history

After leaving the winding roads of the Julier Pass behind us, we arrive in the Engadin. It represents a long, high Alpine valley region in the eastern Swiss Alps. Protected by high mountain ranges on all sides and famous for its sunny climate and beautiful landscapes, the valley is home to the Alpine metropolis of St. Moritz.

Some of you might have guessed it by now, we will be attending the White Turf! It is already the third time that we will witness the spectacular races on the frozen lake. However, this time we also want to take a full day to explore the picturesque town. First up, we head to the Badrutt's Palace to attend the Grand Prix Cocktail presented by Longines. Here, we get to meet some of the jockeys who will race on Sunday. Also, we enjoy a wonderful view down on the frozen lake. The conditions are perfect for a thrilling day at the races!

Next up, we head to the iconic Kulm Country Club for dinner. Here, top athletes and celebrities gathered during the Roaring Twenties, including the silent film legend Charlie Chaplin and US President Calvin Coolidge. Watching the tumult in front of the pavilion from the finely carved arched windows was just as popular then as it is today!

Although recently renovated, the Kulm Country Clubs has luckily preserved the original Art Deco and wood. Where necessary, the windows and doors were custom-built, true to the original! Besides the excellent cuisine and charming interior design, the classy atmosphere and rich history of the establishment are doing the trick for us.

Elegant racing Sunday

After a relaxing night we get up early because we are eager to start into this exciting day ahead of us! Attending the White Turf is always something that we look forward to weeks in advance. As a unique, exclusive, top-class event with exciting horse-racing and gourmet catering, it is one of our favorite weekends of the year. Imagine regular horse racing but on a frozen lake. All taking place in winter sunshine among the stunningly beautiful, snow-capped mountains of St Moritz. Truly a dream come true!

Horse racing has a long tradition in St. Moritz. Very long actually! Because the first race-meeting took place back in 1907. Since then, the White Turf has established itself as annual event where race-horse owners, trainers and jockeys from all over the world meet up for a thrilling competition.

In order to get to the race track, we transfer by horse carriage from the hotel to the frozen Lake St. Moritz. Could it get any classier? At the race track we first get spoiled in the VIP area: champagne, delicious snacks and good company await us!

Besides enjoying the extraordinary catering, we get the chance to get some new watches on our wrists. Here, one of the highlights is definitely the new HydroConquest in green color. Actually, the timepiece is more of a khaki tone. It features a ceramic bezel that compliments the dial very well. Overall a very beautiful, sport watch that is extremely hard to beat in terms of value for money!

Next up, a model from the Conquest V.H.P. line catches our attention. With its white dial, stainless steel case and bracelet and quartz movement, this watch is a true all-rounder and ideal companion for adventures outdoors. Although Longines is a traditional watchmaker with a strong portfolio of mechanical timepieces, their V.H.P. line strives to offer the highest degree of precision and reliability. Two values we appreciate!

The third and last watch we want to introduce to you is one of our all-time favorites by the St-Imier based watchmaker. Called the Avigation BigEye, this timepiece pays tribute to Longines' rich history in producing watches and instruments for the aviation industry. We appreciate how closely this re-issue resembles the original one from the 1930s. It perfectly matches today's Zeitgeist with its well-sized lugs and pushers. Also, at 41mm it comes in a modern size that fits most wrists extremely well!

Giddy-up!

After spending some time talking about timepieces, it is finally time to watch some races! A stunning 13’500 spectators gather on this Sunday to cheer for the jockeys and their horses. Today's highlight is the Longines 81. Grosse Preis von St. Moritz with a prize money of 111k Swiss Francs. Eventually, Jockey Dennis Schiergen rides his horse Wargrave to a great victory. Congrats Dennis!

After the thrilling race we settle down in the Longines tent and enjoy a wonderful selection of delicious sweets as desert. At the White Turf, they really know how to spoil their guests!

Way too soon, the event is over and we have to head back home. It was once again a weekend to remember. Weather, gastronomy, races and wonderful company - that more than we can ask for. To us, the combination of elegance and adrenaline at the White Turf makes for an ideal getaway!

Are you eager to read more about our adventures in the Swiss Alps? Click here for the blogpost about our roadtrip to Aosta.