In August 2004 two groups of adventurous young Irishmen from opposite sides of the border met in a youth hostel in Zagreb. Complete strangers, their chance encounter while waiting to book into surely the most rundown hostel in Europe would have a huge effect on their futures. Eighteen months later, representing Ireland and with No Prior Experience in the sport, they won the World Elephant Polo Association's Amateur Championship.
Their philosophy is simple, but refreshing. They think of something they haven't done before, pronounce themselves experts, and go to somewhere they haven't been before to try to do it. Their motto is: 'No Prior Experience'- NPE for short.
Since that fortuitous first meeting in Zagreb they have also passed themselves off as an Irish Boy band while recording a single in Poland; raced bobsleighs alongside the Russian and Latvian Olympic teams in Latvia; and taken on a local Ice-hockey team in an open-air ice rink in Riga, despite the fact that none of them can skate.After convincing the World Elephant Polo Association that they were an experienced team of horse polo enthusiasts and worthy of one of only eight places at the 24 th World Elephant Polo Championships, the Ireland team set out to address a number of minor difficulties. One, they had no elephants. Two, they hadn't a clue how to play the game. Three, they hadn't a clue how to raise the $12,000 entry fee.
But all of these problems were overcome; Ireland duly took their place among the world's leading elephant polo nations and emerged victorious, proudly carrying home the amateur trophy after an intense week of competition in the Nepalese jungle. UTV screened a half hour documentary charting the Ireland team's progress and the adventures of the team captain, Graham Little, who had entered eight other championships in a bid to be crowned a World Champion by the end of the year.
Following their glorious victory in the jungle of Nepal, Colin Carroll and Graham Little formed 'Sumo Ireland', the official, fully accredited governing body of Sumo Wrestling in Ireland.
They became the first sumo wrestlers ever to represent Ireland in the Austrian Sumo Open in Linz, and later stole the show at the World Amateur Sumo Championships in Osaka. Colin was a close second in both of his bouts, while coach Graham watched on humiliated. The NPE team were also given a reception by the Irish Ambassador to Japan at the Irish Embassy in Tokyo.
Last January the boys became the first Irish team to compete at the Bavarian Horn-sleighing Championships near Munich, finishing a credible 23rd out of 96 sleighs, having persuaded the Mayor of the local town and the President of the Hornsleighing club to ride with them.
Colin's book 'Mission Improbable', published by Mercier Press, charts the first two chaotic years of NPE adventures, while Graham's book 'No Prior Experience, Diary of a Silly World Champion' will be published by Brehon Press in May.
Colin and Graham's motto has become their trade and an NPE television series is currently being considered in the UK and Ireland. They are now looking for backers.