Elephant Polo
One of the more exotic events in Thailand is the King’s Cup Elephant Polo annual tournament. The event, which is designed to raise money for the Elephant Institute, brings together international and local polo players with majestic Thai elephants. The event is usually hosted by one of the many 5 star hotels Thailand, with the 2009 event taking place at the Anantar Golden Triangle Resort in Chiang Rai.
The week-long celebration kicks off with a spectacular Elephant Parade followed by the All Thailand Challenge. Other events during the King’s Cup include an Elephant Blessing Ceremony and a special Press Match. There is a formal Opening Ceremony and various social events such as cocktail parties and special dinners.
The 2009 King’s Cup, which concluded over the weekend, featured a number of exhibition and special matches, including an exhibition match between Thailand and International All-Stars. Saturday featured an “Escape the Wooden Sppon” match as well as “Punch above your weight,” and “fight your way to the mid-table,” matches prior to the Semi-Final matches. Sunday’s events included a Children’s Challenge Match as well as the humorously named matches to determine the lesser places leading up to the Grand Final which was won by the Audemars Piguet team.
In 1982 the World Elephant Polo Association established the rules for the sport. The World Elephant Polo Tournament is held each year in Nepal at the WEPA headquarters. The King’s Cup Tournament was first played in Thailand in 2001.
The Elephant Institute works to ensure the welfare of elephants in Thailand, including monitoring medical treatment, employment, mahout training, and feeding of animals throughout the country.
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