11th December, 1996
The Nepal National Parks elephant polo team made a clean sweep at the World Elephant Polo Championships which were held at Tigers Tops Jungle Lodge 5-11 December 1996. The experienced locals bear the British Gurkhas Gladiators (Hannibal’s Own)3-2 to win the coveted Tigers Tops Trophy in an exciting final that held to be decided with sudden death play off. In the J&B All Nepal Shield they also beat Tiger Tops 5-0 which is played by mahouts on their own elephants.

This was the culmination of a fascinating weeks’ polo which included, for the first time ever in the history of WEPA, a penalty shoot out between three teams (the Tigers Tops Tuskers, loon’s Cavalry and the Internationals Mercenaries) to decide who would go through to the semi final. Uday Kalaan, a professional polo player from India, was the first to score from the thirty yard line for loon’s Cavalry to secure their place in the semi finals against the British Gurkuhas. Nancy Slocum of USA followed, the only female in the shoot out, who scored a tremendous goal for the international Mercenaries who went on to face the National Parks. In the battle for third and fourth place, loon’s Cavalry pulled our all stops to beat the Internationals Mercenaries 4-3.

The home team Tigers Tops Tuskers came in the fifth place with the Z ladies International Team finishing sixth. The Z ladies, resplendent in their zebra print jodhpurs, sweatshirts and red coats won the best Dressed Trophy. J&B Rare did not manage to repeat the success of previous year and came in seventh place, beating the American family Screwy Tuskers team into eight. The new Tiger Mountain Ganesh Trophy for the Most Sorting Team went to the Screwy Tuskers.

The Tuborg Trophy for player of the year was awarded to Sanu Buddhi Kumal who with his skillful play was instrumental in securing his team, the British Gurkha Gladiators, their first ever place in WEPA final. Another first in this year Champions was that Kristjan Edwards was the first non Nepali to play in the J&B Shield, riding his own elephant. Kristjan was appointed captain of the Tiger Tops Tuskers this year by his father, Jim Edwards’s founder of WEPA and Chairman of the Tiger Mountain Group.

The Worlds Elephant Polo Association Championship is an annual invitational event arranged by Tigers Tops. It is played on the polo field adjacent to Meghauly airport on the edge of Royal Chitwan National Parks. Each team of four players compete two chukkas of ten minutes and use a regular polo ball which is hit with elongated sticks over two meters in length. This year the standard of play was very high but was well controlled by the referee Chuck McDougal and Umpire Pradeep Rana. The polo was much appreciated by hundreds of local people who came to watch, despite some interruptions in play due to a village dispute with the authorities concerning damage done by a wild elephant.

For further details please contact Lisa choegyal or Carolyn Syangbo.