Like many of the world’s most popular games, the idea of playing polo on elephants is said to have originated during a lighthearted conversation between a couple of sports fans. The World Elephant Polo Association formalized the game with a roster of governing rules in 1982 and the rest, as they say, is history.

While the World Elephant Polo Tournament takes the field each year at association headquarters in Royal Chitwan Park, Nepal, the annual King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Thailand is one of the world’s most popular elephant polo tournaments — and it’s played for a purpose. Since its introduction to Thailand in 2001 by Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, the King’s Cup Tournament has raised more than $750,000 for the care of Thailand’s wild and domesticated elephant population.

It’s also a colorful event. Last year, 16 teams comprising 50 individual players took the field. Among their ranks: Thai supermodels; professional horse polo players; members of the New Zealand All-Blacks rugby team; and performers from Miss Tiffany’s, Thailand’s popular transgender cabaret.

Due to its increasing popularity, the 2014 tournament will move about 125 miles north, from its original field in Hua Hin on the Malay Peninsula to Bangkok. Set for Aug. 28–31, the four-day festival kicks off with an opening parade and includes Children’s Day, Ladies’ Day and a roster of family-friendly activities.

Official Rules

• No elephants may lie down in front of the mouth of the goal. To do so will constitute a foul.
• A free hit is awarded to the opposing side from the semi-circle in front of the goal.
• Teams are made up from the pool of elephants and balanced out as fairly as possible bearing in mind size and speed of the elephant.
• Once the pool of elephants has been selected, each elephant is categorized and marked as A, B, C, D, E and F.
• Any team with three elephants in one half of the pitch is judged to have committed a foul.
• An elephant may not pick up the ball in its trunk during play. To do so constitutes a foul and a free hit is awarded to the opposing team from the spot where the ball was picked up.
• The defending players must be 15 meters from the spot.
• No more than two elephants may be in the D at one time, one from the attacking team and one from the defending team.
• There are no restrictions as to the height, weight or sex of the elephants.
• Sugarcane or rice balls packed with vitamins shall be given to the elephants at the end of each match, and a cold beer or soft drink to the elephant drivers — and not vice versa.