The Thai Elephant Conservation Centre and the National Elephant Institute are the official beneficiaries of the annual event.
Elephant Polo (2008)Chiang Saen, Thailand - Once again, Thailand's annual King's Cup Elephant Polo tournament provided spectators with exciting matches, a beautiful setting and a great cause to rally around. This year's meet was noteworthy for its introduction of a brand-new polo pitch, built in idyllic surroundings on the grounds of the Anantara Golden Triangle Resort.
From March 31st to April 6th, twelve elite teams from all around the world descended upon Chiang Saen in the North of Thailand and battled it out for the championship of this unique and increasingly-competitive sport. The real winners, however, were the elephants themselves - over US$200,000 has been raised in the last seven tournaments to help provide protection and support for the embattled Thai elephant.
Expanding in popularity, The King's Cup Elephant Polo tournament welcomed the arrival of its first team from Spain this year. Another standout was the all-female London-Irish Nellies, representing the UK and Ireland.
As anticipated by the experts, the finale pitted Chivas Regal of Scotland against the Mercedes Benz team. The last tournament in 2006 saw Chivas edge out Mercedes in a sudden-death shoot-out due to inclement weather, but this year's sunny skies ensured a full-action event. A close game until the end, the Mercedes' superior polo-skills and greater reach eventually won out. Captain Oliver Winter scored a flurry of shots in the second half to win the game with ease - Mercedes Benz Thailand proved very worthy champions.
To top everything off, a gala dinner held after the final match garnered a further 1 million Baht for the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre and the National Elephant Institute, the official beneficiaries of the annual event.
Final Results (Placing) of the King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament:
1. Mercedes Benz Thailand
2. Chivas Regal Scotland
3. Audemars Piguet
4. Tickle & the Ivories
5. Four Seasons Tented Camp
6. Pricewaterhouse CooperWEPA Legends
7. TAT AmazingThailand
8. Raimon Land Thailand
9. Anantara Resort Team
10. IBM Federacion Madrilena de Polo
11. London-Irish Nellies by Lawton Asia
12. Anantara's visitor Team
Anantara is taken from an ancient Sanskrit word that means 'borderless water', a name chosen for this element's association in many Asian cultures with wealth and good fortune. Anantara Resorts is inspired by local architecture and sensitive to indigenous culture and has three resorts operating in Thailand, two in the Maldives and one in Bali. The newest member of the Anantara family, Anantara Resort Seminyak, opened in March 2008 in Bali. In October 2008, MINT and Anantara will launch the Anantara Resort Phuket which will be located on Mai Kao Beach and just 15 minutes from Phuket International Airport.
