Elephant polo

last updated 8 January 2015

Chitwan National Park, Nepal

A Scottish team won the World Elephant Polo Association Championship in Nepal this week, returning the cup to the nation that invented the unusual sport. The Chivas Regal team, captained by the Duke of Argyll, beat the National Parks of Nepal team in the finals 12 to 6. The original field of contenders had seven teams from various countries and provinces, as well as a “ladies’ international team.” In elephant polo, invented by a Scotsman in 1983, there are two riders per animal, one to steer and one to swing the polo mallet. “It is slower than horse polo,” said Scotland manager Jim Long, “but faster than you might think.”