Kings Cup Polo 2011

September 4 – September 11

The Kings Cup Polo tournament will be celebrating it’s tenth anniversary this year and returning to where it all began, Hua Hin, from September 4th through the 11th. Teams from around the world will be manning their elephants and trunking it out to win the coveted Kings Cup.

In true Thailand tradition the Kings Cup Polo tournament not only honors the King but also honors the same gentle beasts they will be riding because the Kings Cup polo tournament is a charity event to benefit Elephant conservation in Thailand.

Started in 2001 by Anantara Resorts, the first Kings Cup Polo tournament was a small affair of few people and only 6 teams but by 2010 the tournament had become wildly popular hosting 12 teams with players from 15 countries and thousands of spectators.

To date the Kings Cup tournament has raised over $300,000 for Thailand elephants,  the bulk of which has gone to the National Elephant Institute, which provides medical care, Mahout training and care for Thailand elephant population. Other funds have been used to buy elephants freedom from the streets of Bangkok and Chaing Mai as well as build and run a custom elephant ambulance. Proceeds have also been used to maintain the Institutes elephant hospital where they house and care for sick elephants.

Thailand’s elephant population has decreased over the years and it’s now believed that only 1500 wild elephants still roam free in Thailand and there are only 3600 domesticated elephants left. Unfortunate street accidents and abuse have taken the lives of many of Thailand’s elephants through the years.

What started out as a whimsical conversation between two quirky sport lovers, evolved itself to be known as the 6th largest annual event in the Thai tourism calendar. The event in question of being polo with an adventurous twist thus was the birth of polo played on the back of elephants.

The World Elephant Polo Association established the governing rules for Elephant Polo in 1982; the association has its headquarters at the Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in the Royal Chitwan Park in Nepal, which is where the World Elephant Polo Tournament played every year on a grassy airfield in Megauly. This tournament is played within a relatively small circuit, including the countries Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Kings Cup Polo 2001 Program Schedule

Monday, September 5th  

11am – 2pm: Monk & Elephant Blessing Ceremonies, Grand Parade &  Elephant Buffet

2pm – 3pm: Exhibition Games All Afternoon

7pm: Tournament Draw & Cocktail Party at Anantara Hua Hin

Tuesday, September 6th     

10am – 12pm: Matches All Morning

1pm: EFG Jim Edwards Memorial Game

2pm – 6pm: Matches All afternoon

7pm: Dinner Event

Wednesday, September 7th

10am – 12pm: Matches All Morning

12.30pm – 1.30pm: Hoteliers Cup

2pm – 6pm: Matches All Afternoon

7.45pm: TEPA Players’ Night

Thursday, September 8th

10am – 12pm: Matches All Morning

12.30pm – 1 .30pm: Mahout Game

2pm – 6pm: Matches All Afternoon

7pm: Dinner Event

Friday, September 9th

10am – 12pm: Matches All Morning

12. 30pm – 1.30pm: Ladies Cup

2pm: Quarter Final One

3pm: Quarter Final Two

4pm: Quarter Final Three

5pm: Quarter Final Four

7pm: Dinner Event

Saturday, September 10th

8am: Semi-final playoff match

9am: “Escape The Wooden Spoon” Match

10am: “Fight Your Way To Mid-Table” Match

11am: “Punch Above Your Weight” Match

12.30pm – 1. 30pm: Celebrity Game

2pm: “Last Chance at Glory” Match

3pm:  “Best Of The Rest” Match

4pm:  Semi Final One

5pm:  Semi Final Two

7pm:  Blanc et Noir Auction Soiree at Anantara Hua Hin

Sunday, September 11th     

8am: “Wooden Spoon” Match

9am: “Springboard From The Bottom” Match – 13th Place Decider

10am: “Knocking On The Door” Match – 11th Place Decider

11am: “Relegation Worries Over” Match – 9th Place Decider

1pm: “Look How Far We’ve Come” Match – 7th Place Decider

2pm: “Mid-Table Heroes” Match – 5th Place Decider

3pm: “Best Of The Rest, We’ll Get It Next Year” Match – 3rd Place Decider

4pm: Arrival of Royal Representative

5pm: King’s Cup Elephant Polo Grand Finale 2011

5.30pm: Prize Giving Ceremony

6.30pm onwards: End of Tournament

Spectators entrance to the Kings Cup Polo tournaments is FREE
For more information on this event you can visit the Kings Cup Polo 2011 web site and for more information on upcoming Events and Festivals in Thailand you can visit the Thailand Events Calender.

Kings Cup Polo 2011 brought to you by Anatara Hua Hin Resort in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand.