Tuesday February 19, 2013
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Jumbo-sized polo is the sport of choice for the Thailand celebrity set, writes RODERICK EIME
Snakes should slide into Laamu.
Travelling by the stars WHY the travel bug lures different people to different destinations is a mystery. Perhaps it’s in the stars? To celebrate the Year of the Snake, the travel experts at Abercrombie & Kent have matched dream destinations with Chinese zodiac signs. SNAKE Born: 1989, 1977, 1965 You are: Elegant, intelligent, intuitive. Where to go: The Six Senses Resort, Laamu, The Maldives. HORSE Born: 1990, 1978, 1966 You are: Adaptable, loyal, adventurous. Where to go: Train up and climb Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. SHEEP Born: 1991, 1979, 1967 You are: Sensitive, calm, tasteful. Where to go: Explore Italy from Sorrento to Venice.
C M Y K
MONKEY Born: 1992, 1980, 1968 You are: Bright, lively, versatile. Where to go: Relax in the Whitsunday Islands.
Cheers! Elephant polo has become one of the biggest charity events in Thailand.
While the building, designed by Jewish-American architect Daniel Libeskind, might be not be well known outside Germany, to locals its significance is never overlooked. The World War II bombings on Valentine’s Day 1945, killed more than 22,000 people and destroyed 90 per cent of Dresden city centre. German reunification brought a new lease of life and a wave of restoration, making the city into the stunning attraction it is today.
beast sit down in front of the goal mouth or picking up the ball with its trunk. Every tournament is attended by either a vet, an elephant behaviour specialist or both. Any animal that stops enjoying the game is allowed to go off the field and just muck about in the big enclosure out the back. Naturally, with any activity that involves the training of animals, there are those who decry the sport as cruel and unnatural. Without seeing the training, I can attest that the animals do actually seem to enjoy the boisterous game. I visited a few of the resting elephants in their ‘‘green room’’ between matches and each seemed
quite relaxed, standing quietly and gently inquiring of me if I had a banana or apple on my person with a quick examination of my pockets. A far cry from the pathetic animals I recall from my childhood, chained up behind the circus tent. Tourism dollars flow into the host locations, which have included resort cities such as Chang Rai and Hua Hin. This year’s event returns to Hua Hin from August 28 until September 1 and promises to be every bit the spectacle of previous years. Put on your best shirt, wear your fanciest watch, sip Blue Label and hob nob with the glitterati. Just mind out where you step. 쐽 anantaraelephantpolo.com
The Bundeswehr Military History Museum.
DOG Born: 1994, 1982, 1970 You are: Loyal, lively, adaptable. Where to go: Glamping at Amanwana on Moyo Island, Indonesia. PIG Born: 1995, 1983, 1971 You are: Honourable, sociable, sincere. Where to go: The monasteries of Myanmar (Burma).
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on a 100m pitch using a standard polo ball. The player sits on a saddle behind the mahout (elephant handler), who controls the animal according to the player’s instruction. You could try bellowing your own commands at your mount but, unless you are fluent in elephant Thai, your most ardent instructions will go ignored. Each match is divided into two seven-minute ‘‘chukkas’’, or halves, with an interval of 15 minutes. A goal is scored, clearly enough, when one team hits it between the goal posts. Early games were attempted with a soccer ball, but the elephants kept popping the ball. Foul play includes having your
MEL 19-FEB-2013 PAGE
ROOSTER Born: 1993, 1981, 1969 You are: Energetic, diverse, flamboyant. Where to go: Explore the medinas of Morocco.
Overlooked, but not for long A MILITARY museum in the once-battered former East German city of Dresden has topped VirtualTourist’s list of the world’s most overlooked stunning buildings. Apart from its striking architecture, the Bundeswehr Military History Museum stands out for distancing itself from the usual presentations of conflict and instead looks at the causes and consequences of war and violence, focusing on the human component.
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HANGING on for dear life as my mount sprints down the field at full gallop, I prepare to swing my long lance-like weapon at the tiny object on the ground. With all my strength, I unleash a mighty blow on the little rolling target. The heavy mallet head strikes the turf and tufts of grass go flying as if propelled by an exploding hand grenade. But the ball rolls pathetically toward its objective with barely a fraction more speed than before. The sport of polo is, by reputation, reserved for kings and the wealthy elite, not some clumsy suburban ring-in. But I have an excuse. This is the first time I have ever played polo and the level of difficulty (or should I say ungainliness) is elevated from atop an elephant. In Thailand, the King’s Cup Elephant Polo tournament is now a permanent fixture on the social calendar, attracting the well-heeled and the well-coiffed from the world of business, finance, leisure and luxury consumer brands. Instead of the rapid patter of frantic hoofs and the panting of thoroughbred steeds, it’s the thud of massive pachyderms trampling their way up and down the pitch, occasionally trumpeting their enthusiasm or challenging an umpire’s decision via trunk call. The commentator calls the event with all the enthusiasm and dry wit that you would expect at a country cricket match but, despite the obvious comic element, elephant polo is a serious affair. The field is festooned with salubrious brands — big money is at stake and the cast of celebrities can include New Zealand All Blacks, Miss Tiffany Thailand, actors, supermodels plus proper royalty such as German Prince Carl-Eugen Oettingen-Wallerstein, his wife, Princess Anna and daughter Princess Joanna. The money raised goes to charity projects that help the elephants themselves, including an elephant ambulance, the rescue of mistreated or neglected street elephants and an elephant hospital in Krabi. Since the tournament was introduced in 2001 by Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, it has become one of the biggest charity events in Thailand, raising almost half a million dollars. Last year’s tournament featured 12 teams and more than 40 players. A celebrity auction has also been held with international stars including Olympic 100m gold medallist Linford Christie, Grammy Award-winner Lady Antebellum, UK fashion designer Anya Hindmarsh and Korean pop star Park Jung Min. To the casual observer, there appear to be no rules. But the game is overseen by the World Elephant Polo Association, formed in 1982 and based in Nepal. The sport is also played in Sri Lanka. To throw some light on the method behind the monstrous mayhem of an elephant polo match, each team comprises just three animals played
Answer the trunk call
RAT Born: 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960 You are: Intelligent, adaptable, artistic. Where to go: Be surprised in Sri Lanka. OX Born: 1985, 1973, 1961 You are: Loyal, reliable, strong. Where to go: Cruise the Nile. TIGER Born: 1986, 1974, 1962 You are: Positive, ambitious, confident. Where to go: The beautiful cities of Budapest, Vienna and Prague. RABBIT Born: 1987, 1975, 1963 You are: Sincere, sociable, modest. Where to go: Moscow and St Petersburg, Russia. DRAGON Born: 1988, 1976, 1964 You are: Lucky, spiritual, charismatic. Where to go: See the animals of the Galapagos Islands.
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