Elephant polo: Difference between revisions

[[File:Hattipolo.jpg|thumb|200px|Elephant Polo World Cup 2012, [[Meghauli]], [[Nepal]]]]

'''Elephant polo''' is a variant of [[polo]] played while riding [[elephant]]s. It is played in [[Nepal]], [[Rajasthan]] ([[India]]), and [[Thailand]]. [[England]] and [[Scotland]] regularly field teams. Equipment consists of a standard polo ball and six to ten foot cane (similar to bamboo) sticks with a polo mallet head on the end. The pitch is three-quarters of the length of a standard polo pitch, due to the lower speed of the elephants. Two people ride each elephant; the elephants are steered by [[mahout]]s, while the player tells the [[mahout]] which way to go and hits the ball.

Elephant polo originated in Meghauli, Nepal. Tiger Tops in Nepal remains the headquarters of elephant polo and the site of the World Elephant Polo Championships.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bushell at elephant polo World Cup |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7768225.stm |work=BBC News |date=5 December 2008 |quote=A team from England have become the new world champions of elephant polo. Air Tuskers beat Scotland's Chivas, on Friday in Southern Nepal.|access-date=27 April 2009}}</ref>

Elephant Polo in Nepal and Thailand is played under the auspices of the [[World Elephant Polo Association]]. WEPA enforces strict rules regarding elephant welfare and game play. Other tournaments, such as those played in India and Sri Lanka, are managed independently of each other and the World Elephant Polo Association.  Sri Lanka held an annual tournament in Galle under the auspices of the Ceylon Elephant Polo Association.{{cn|date=February 2021}}

 

Allegations of cruel treatment of polo elephants, made by [[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals]], have led to match cancellation, sponsorship withdrawal and the removal of references to elephant polo records in the [[Guinness Book of World Records]].<ref>{{cite web|first1=Richa |last1=Shukla |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-03/people/28358820_1_elephant-festival-rajasthan-polo-club-polo-lovers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811123955/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-03/people/28358820_1_elephant-festival-rajasthan-polo-club-polo-lovers |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2011 |title=For the record: No elephant polo |date=3 February 2011 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=17 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8714257/Cruel-elephant-polo-match-cancelled-in-Jaipur.html |title='Cruel' elephant polo match cancelled in Jaipur |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=21 August 2011 |access-date=17 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/sports/elephant-polo-tournament-canceled-in-india-over-cruelty-concerns/460605 |title=Elephant Polo Tournament Canceled in India Over Cruelty Concerns |newspaper=[[The Jakarta Globe]] |access-date=17 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927021732/http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/sports/elephant-polo-tournament-canceled-in-india-over-cruelty-concerns/460605 |archive-date=27 September 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Baker |first1=Jason |title=On World Animal Day, it's time to end elephant polo |url=http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30355759 |access-date=4 October 2018 |work=The Nation |date=4 October 2018 |format=Opinion}}</ref>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{{Polo-stub}}