# Elephant Polo: Ladyboys Slug It Out with New Zealand's All Blacks Rugby Team **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 17, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164 "2013-06-17T05:17:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/1 "2013-06-17T05:17:42Z")
Story [here](http://www.theage.com.au/travel/ladyboys-versus-all-blacks-is-this-the-worlds-weirdest-sport-20130613-2o635.html). It’s been years since I played elephant polo, but New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team is represented every year. They always do one of those Maori war dances beforehand, which is something to see. The story makes a big mistake in identifying Tiffany’s ladyboy cabaret as being in Bangkok’s Patpong red-light district. It’s not. It’s in Pattaya. Patpong does not have any cabaret clubs per se of any type at all. I recall an all-ladyboy team named the Screwless Tuskers. Controversy arose when they insisted they be grouped in the women’s-team category but it was argued they retained the upper-body strength of men. I was not playing then and forget how it was settled. Not in their favor, I think. This recent match between the Tiffany’s team and the All Blacks was just an exhibition match. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/2 "2013-06-17T05:22:39Z")
I could have sworn the thread title said “Ladybugs.” Now THAT would be a match! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/3 "2013-06-17T05:23:37Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I could have sworn the thread title said “Ladybugs.” Now THAT would be a match! That would be a great name for a ladyboy team! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/4 "2013-06-17T06:34:29Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I could have sworn the thread title said “Ladybugs.” Now THAT would be a match! It would be like some old monster movie, something where they end up fighting a swarm of car-sized ladybugs. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/5 "2013-06-17T06:46:07Z")
Check out the buffet! ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/6 "2013-06-17T07:34:48Z")
> [@Encinitas](#): > > Check out the buffet! [Here it is](http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/travel/thailands-elephant-polo-tournament-20130613-2o607.html?selectedImage=5). The elephants are fed well treated like kings during the tournament. They even get the spa treatment, with rubdowns and showers. They don’t play more than half a chukka at a time, meaning they’re on the field for only about 3-1/2 minutes playing time before they’re switched out. Or is it 7 minutes? Not sure now. I can honestly say the elephants I’ve seen at each tournament seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly. All the recent photos are [here](http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/travel/thailands-elephant-polo-tournament-20130613-2o607.html?selectedImage=5) including the All Blacks doing the Maori bit (#15). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/7 "2013-06-17T07:42:13Z")
> [@Encinitas](#): > > Check out the buffet! > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > [Here it is](http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/travel/thailands-elephant-polo-tournament-20130613-2o607.html?selectedImage=5). Huh. That was not the buffet. [Try it again here](http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/travel/thailands-elephant-polo-tournament-20130613-2o607.html?selectedImage=4). [World Elephant Polo Association](http://www.elephantpolo.com/) including [rules and regulations](http://www.elephantpolo.com/index.php/the-sport/rules-a-regulations.html). ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/8 "2013-06-17T10:55:19Z")
Well, the All Blacks regularly play Australia, so a bunch of ladyboys lumbering about on elephants is good preparation 😉 Worth noting - those are all former All Blacks - but I would pay good money to see some current All Blacks take on elephant riding ladyboys. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elephant-polo-ladyboys-slug-it-out-with-new-zealands-all-blacks-rugby-team/661164/9 "2013-06-18T22:36:32Z")
With a thread title like that, how could you _not_ look?