Elephant polo

The elephant polo is a sport that is similar to polo, but played with Indian elephants. Compared to the regular Polo the duration of the " chukka " mentioned phases of the game is shorter, the game sticks are longer, and the playing field is smaller.

The International Federation of the World Elephant Polo Players Association ( WEPA ) was founded in 1982 in the Resort Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in Chitwan National Park. Since then, the association organizes tournaments in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The weeklong world championship tournaments are held annually in November / December at the airfield Meghauly on the edge of Chitwan National Park. In 2009, the tournament took place at the edge of Bardia National Park for the first time.

Most of the participating teams are internationally staffed with players from the UK, India, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia and Switzerland. Only the team Nepal National Park consists of Nepalese players.

At the tournaments usually take some 16 elephants, which are subject to some of the National Park and in part to the respective hosts. The tournaments are held only in the morning, so that the elephants can rest in the afternoon. In the game, the elephants are steered by a mahout, while the player holds behind him on a straw- filled pillow and tried the polo ball with a 2-3 m long bat to score in the goal of the opposing team.

Game rules

According to the rules agreed by the WEPA matches are played on a 100-120 mx 70 m pitch and regular polo balls (7-8 cm, 130 g in weight ) were used. Two teams play against each other, and each team will send four players to the game. In Thailand and Sri Lanka but playing only three players per team. Experienced polo players are deemed handicapped. A game consists of two 10 -minute chukkas that are kicked off and completed by a referee. The interval between chukkas take 15 minutes. For the second chukka the elephants to be replaced, and usual changed the direction of play, as with many ball games. The elephants get after each game to strengthen cane or with molasses, rice and salt packed concentrated feed and water ad libitum.

Criticism

After protests by animal rights activists the Guinness Book of World Records has all the records relating to the elephant polo deleted.