Two Wirragulla polo club members have helped steer Australia to victory in the 10th Manipur Polo International in India.
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Wirragulla players Beau Blundell and Jock Mackay were selected to play for the tournament held in India from November 19 to 29.
The Australians were pitted against teams from England, Kenya and the USA and two Indian teams.
Both qualified Australian coaches, Blundell is from Gresford and Mackay is from Dungog.
The team also consisted of Adam Tolhurst (Sydney) Scott Kennedy-Green (Mudgee), Alex Barnet (Ellerston) and Hugh Parry-Okeden (Windsor).
The Australians lost to Manipur 7-5 in their early game, then won against Kenya (6-0 ) to make the semi finals where they defeated England (6-3) to make the final to defeat India 9-6.
“The Indian team had only lost one game in the last 10 years so defeating them 9 goals to 6 was a great achievement,” said Blundell who claimed his first test cap with the tournament.
Organised by Manipur Horse Riding & Polo Association the tournament was organised as a part of the Manipur Sangai tourism festival.
The tournament was played at Imphal in northern India on the oldest playing polo field in the world – on traditional Indian polo ponies.
Mittie Osborne, Secretary of the Wirragulla club said the team had to have their polo sticks cut down before the tournament to accommodate the traditional ponies.
“The sticks are manufactured to use riding a 15 hand horse but these traditional polo ponies are 13 or 13 and a half hands high at the biggest,” she said.
The Manipur Government has moved to declare the Manipuri Pony, considered a scared animal, as an endangered breed.
Wirragulla was established in 1923 and is one of the oldest polo clubs in Australia.
The club has around 120 members and its polo ground is at Tabbil Creek just outside Dungog and Mrs Osborne said new members are always welcome.
“We will be holding clinics in January and February next year and people are welcome to attend – you don’t have to know how to play, just how to ride,” she said.
