American Express Thailand Team

Mr. Christopher Stafford :

Vice President and General Manager of Anantara Resorts and Spas, Christopher first played polo in Ethiopia during Emperor Haile Selassie's reign. Later in Singapore he took up the reins again at the Singapore Polo Club studying with Pakistan national captain, Sattar Kahn. Swedish-born, English-schooled and at home wherever he lays his hat, Chris brought The King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament to Thailand in 2001 and reached the semi-finals playing for WEPA Nepal in the 2002 King's Cup tournament.

Mr. Nopdol Nandhabhiwat :

An avid sportsman, Khun Bib enjoys windsurfing, sailing, skiing and snowboarding. He is a part-time writer on finance and investments. A horse polo player with six years experience, he played in the inaugural King's Cup tournament in 2001 and for King Power Thailand in the 2002 tournament and for American Express Thailand in the 2003.

Founder and president of the Ceylon Elephant Polo Association, Hong Kong based entrepreneur Geoffrey Dobbs is this year playing for Thailand. Each February he plays host to the world's only beach elephant polo tournament held in front of his idyllic island of Taprobane on Sri Lanka's south coast. A resident of Sri Lanka for the last 6 years, Australian-born Geoffrey's earlier exploits have included going to sea on a bamboo raft in the Pacific to prove the Chinese reached America before Columbus.

Captain of the Singapore Polo Club, the multi-capped Hogberg is acting as coach, manager and escort for this super glamorous ladies team. A native of Sweden, Rickard is a +2 goal handicap player and represented his country in the European Championship in 1995 and 1997. Now a permanent resident in Singapore, this will be Hogberg’s first time at the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament though undoubtedly not his last.

Mr. Bjorn Richardson :

A late-comer to elephant polo, Bjorn started out as a heavyweight soccer star on the icy football fields of Sweden where he sported the number 10 shirt as centre forward. Bjorn has been in a Director of Operations at the Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel, Malaysia.

Mr. Peter Davies :

Peter Davies has lived in Thailand for 14 years now and was one of the founding revivalists of polo in Thailand, some 7 years ago. He often recounts the story of 4 players, 4 ponies (from Australia), a paddock the size of a football field surrounded by a klong and hay bales for goals posts! “That’s how it all started!” he recalls. Peter was part of the successful Siam Polo Park and King Power polo teams that competed in England and Germany respectively only a month ago, winning both tournaments. He is a keen member of Siam Polo Park and after the enjoyment he got from playing for Thailand B Team last year, says he is back for more Elephant Polo!

Kings Cup Elephant Polo Tournament 2004, Hua Hin Thailand