Polo is an impressive sport to watch anywhere but it's even more amazing when the horses are replaced with elephants. Each year, the <a href="http://goldentriangle.anantara.com/default.aspx" target="external">Anantara Golden Triangle resort</a> in Thailand, hosts the <a href="http://www.anantaraelephantpolo.com/" target="external">King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament</a>.

How would you like this guy's job? When the extra long polo mallets break, it's his job to run between the elephants and hand the player a new one.

The tournament has raised more than $250,000 over the years for the National Elephant Institute, which provides medical care, sustenance, employment to Thailand's elephant population and their drivers, called mahouts.

The King's Cup trophy rides in on the back of two elephants.

In just eight years the King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament has gone from a small two-day event with six teams into a weeklong extravaganza with a dozen teams from around the globe.

The tournament isn't just about the elephants but is also packed with several displays of Thai culture, such as this parade.

There are also dance demonstrations, like this one, as part of the weeklong event.

And plenty of color and style in the parade.

The event brings players from all around the world and -- like any other sport -- plenty of corporate sponsorship too.

One of the mahouts, or elephant drivers, takes a break.

Here a group of shamans preside over the tournament's feast.

One of the elephants heads out to the field to play.

How else do you end an elephant polo match than with an oversize gong?

Proceeds from a past match have been used to rescue street elephants and train them in occupational therapy as part of a joint effort between the Thai Elephant Conservation Center, and a Chiang Mai University project investigating the benefits of using elephants to treat autism.

The elephants rest in a misty field nearby.

For the matches, the elephants get elaborate chalk decorations.

At the end of a hard day on the field, the elephants frolic in the cool water to relax and clean up.

One of the teams poses with the trophy, their elephants and a picture ofThailand's king, Bhumibol Adulyadej.