The Elephant Story

A RETROSPECTIVE OF THE 2014 KING'S CUP ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT - PART IV

Nov 14, 2014 | 0 comments

THE ELEPHANT STORY FINAL MATCH AGAINST SARA STORY DESIGN IN THE KING'S CUP 2014 ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT, BANGKOK, THAILAND Written by: Ed Story Our final match, or penalty shootout, was against a team that is very near and dear to me, that of my daughter Sara Story. Although each team had only lost one match by one point against the top two teams in the tournament while disregarding handicaps favoring each of us, we faced off for fifth and sixth place. Had we played our respective matches against the finalists, either one of us could have been...

A RETROSPECTIVE OF THE 2014 KING'S CUP ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT - PART III

Nov 13, 2014 | 0 comments

THIRD DAY OF PLAY AT THE KING'S CUP 2014 ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT BANGKOK THAILAND Written by: Ed Story The third day of play opened to sunny skies that followed a torrential downpour the night before. As everyone wanted to play an actual match, the only solution seemed to be the sand pit covered polo practice area used by horse polo players. All the various equipment in storage was moved outside of the arena and crude goals and markers were installed. Unfortunately, the elephants could not overcome their childhood days of playing soccer and chose every opportunity to kick...

A RETROSPECTIVE OF THE 2014 KING'S CUP ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT - PART II

Nov 12, 2014 | 0 comments

SECOND DAY OF PLAY AT THE KING'S CUP 2014 ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT BANGKOK THAILAND Written by: Ed Story The foremost objective of the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament is to ensure the safety of the elephants during the course of the tournament. Moreover, a qualified veterinarian is on duty at all times. Of secondary importance is raising funds for elephant conservation. The individual with ultimate responsibility for this task is John Roberts, Director of the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, whose watchful eye is constantly on the polo pitch. John concluded that the field was not stable...

A RETROSPECTIVE OF THE 2014 KING'S CUP ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT - PART I

Nov 11, 2014 | 0 comments

The Elephant Story team of Comfort, Texas competing against the world's top elephant polo teams Written by: Ed Story The King’s Cup Elephant Polo tournament has become an annual event in Thailand held in honor of His Majesty the King and to raise funds for elephant conservation. This year it was held at the VR Sports Club in Bangkok. Sixteen teams from as many as thirty countries participated in this unusual sporting event. The first day was devoted to practice and offered many old friends the opportunity to reunite since the past year. While practicing, the handicapping committee...

Thai Elephant Polo Tournament Aims to Help Beleaguered Pachyderms (NBC Nightly News)

Sep 05, 2014 | 0 comments

BY IAN WILLIAMS BANGKOK - It was arguably the world’s most unusual polo event - a competition where organizers hope the ultimate winners will be Thailand’s often-abused working elephants. Thirty-two captive-born elephants participated in the King’s Cup tournament on fields drenched by heavy and incessant rainy-season downpours over the weekend. Every team consisted of three of the huge creatures, each guided by their keeper, or mahout. The players perched behind the mahout, giving urgent directions usually in a language completely incomprehensible to the elephant’s guide. Still, mahout and elephant soon got into the spirit, lumbering after a white ball that seemed...