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From the 14th – 17th February 2007, at least eight international teams will be fighting it out at the southern seaside town of Galle, Sri Lanka to participate in the 6th Annual International Elephant Tournament. This interesting and incredibly exciting game will be played by the magnificent historical ramparts of the World Heritage Fort of Galle, Sri Lanka.

The tournament is hosted by CEPA (Ceylon Elephant Polo Association).
CEPA was originated by Geoffrey Dobbs and it was Geoffrey that bought Elephant Polo to Sri Lanka to develop up-market tourism in the country and bring attention to the plight of the Asian elephant. Geoffrey is a convivial boutique hotelier who has also pioneered the revival of luxury tourism in this Island oasis of serendipity. With a natural passion for sport, and a keen interest in raising the profile of Sri Lanka, Geoffrey Dobbs is also a strong campaigner for elephant conservation. 

The popularity and success of this tournament reflects the growing interest in Sri Lanka as a leading tourist destination, with its South coast rapidly developing as the alternative Riviera of choice to those long established in the Mediterranean. Whether you are a player or a spectator the weeks events provide those with a unique and memorable experience in Sri Lanka.

ABOUT THE GAME

The first game of elephant polo originated 26 years ago and was founded by an Englishman and a Scotsman, James Manclark, a property developer and international sportsman including a keen horse polo player. The Englishman, Jim Edwards, who is the owner of the famous Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in Nepal which had domestic elephants for safari purposes. The Scot was a polo player. They decided to have a go at the game using an elephant and elephant polo was born.
Elephant polo was first played in India around the turn of the 20th century, by members of the Harem of Indian Rajas (to fill in their spare times). The World Elephant Polo Association in Nepal (WEPA) was the first and paramount organization in modern times to host the sport. The first games were played with a soccer ball, but after finding that the elephants like to smash the balls, the soccer ball was replaced with a standard polo ball. The sticks are made of bamboo and have a standard polo mallet on the end. The length of the stick depends on the size of the elephant - anywhere from 5 to 12 feet.
Each elephant is accompanied by a mahout who sits on the elephant’s neck and guides the elephant with the use of his legs, whilst the player sits on a rough hewn saddle roped around the girth of the elephant.

The elephants are brought from all over Sri Lanka and are specifically trained for the game and then graded based on their ball skill, speed and size. Three elephants and three players are used per team, for each game, which consists of two seven minute “chukkas” of playing time,

with an interval of 15 minutes in between. To ensure fair play the elephants, mahouts and ends are changed at half time. Elephant Polo is all about hitting the ball with a long stick from the top of an elephant into the goal. The Mahout guides the elephant with the use of his legs.
The primary difference between horse and elephant polo, besides the substitution of an elephant for a horse, is that the elephants are "driven" by their trainers, called "mahouts." The mahouts have generally worked with the elephant for many years and the elephants respond quickly to the mahouts signals and commands. The mahout communicates with the elephant with verbal commands and by applying pressure to the back of the elephant's ears with their feet. The player's responsibility is to let the mahout know where to go, how fast, when to stop, etc. Most of the mahouts and all of the elephants only understand Sinhala, so the communication is difficult at times.

PROGRAM OF EVENTS

Monday, 12th February & Tuesday, 13th February
12.30am – 4.30pm	POLO PRACTICE FOR TEAMS
Wednesday, 14th February
10.30am – 4.30pm	POLO PRACTICE FOR TEAMS + ELEPHANT GRADING
7.30pm – 9.30pm	WECLOME COCKTAIL PARTY,
9.30pm	WELCOME DINNER
Thursday, 15th February
10.30am  - 12.30pm	POLO MATCHES
FROM 12.30PM	LUNCH SERVED ON THE PITCH
1.30pm – 2.30pm	POLO MATCHES
7.30pm	PLAYERS DINNER, THE DUTCH HOUSE - GALLE
Friday, 16th February
11.30am  - 12.30pm	POLO MATCHES
FROM 12.30PM	LUNCH SERVED ON THE PITCH
1.30pm – 3.30pm	POLO MATCHES
7.30pm	BEACH PARTY
Saturday, 17th February
10.30am  - 12.30pm	POLO FINALS
FROM 12.30PM	LUNCH SERVED ON THE PITCH
1.30pm – 2.30pm	PRESENTATION + PRIZE GIVING
7.30pm	GALA BALL, TAPROBANE ISLAND - WELIGAMA

CEPA SUPPORTS ELEPHANT CONSERVATION

Ever since 1900, the plight of the Sri Lankan elephant (maximus maximus) has been desperate. Civil war, poaching and the rapid destruction of natural habitat have resulted in a catastrophic reduction in the elephant population from over 200,000 to just 4,000 today. The Sri Lankan elephant is in danger of extinction. Each year CEPA raises funds for Sri Lankan Elephant.

Promoting the welfare of the Sri Lankan elephant will continue to be a key priority for the World Elephant Polo Association (WEPA) and its affiliate members both in Thailand (TEPA) and Sri Lanka (CEPA).

ABOUT GALLE

Galle and the historic Fort of Galle are located approx. 3 hours south of Colombo on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Galle is the perfect place from which to experience the best of Sri Lanka’s beaches, temples, tea plantations, wildlife, tropical rainforests and the local chaotic markets and villages of the Southern Province.

No where in Sri Lanka, than in Galle is there such an abundance of beautiful accommodation, shopping and fine dining

For more information visit CEYLON ELEPHANT POLO ASSOCIATION