Riding foreign mounts and nursing an injury is apparently not enough to deny Wirragulla Polo Club's president Beau Blundell and club captain Jock Mackay an international trophy.
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The pair has returned home undefeated from an invitational international polo tournament in Hawaii.
The Dungog duo, along with Arunga's Adam Tolhurst and Mudgee's Scott Kennedy-Green played a week of polo in Hawaii for the MJ Bale Australian Barbarian team from June 2-9.
That foursome was selected at short notice for the tournament as they were part of the Australian team which claimed victory in the 10th Manipur Polo International in India in 2016.
"I was quite chuffed to be involved," said Blundell.
"We played the Hawaiian state team which is basically an international side and it was a great thrill, they were wonderful hosts."
Blundell was back in the saddle for the tournament after a serious polo accident when he was out cold for several minutes, suffered a bruised brain and had fluid on the lungs. Still nursing a few broken ribs for the international tournament he said he managed to keep up the painkillers to steer his "challenging" horse.
"We had different horses from different sponsors and the one I had was heavy into cutting so it was a little challenging at first to get it to play competitive international polo."
Talk has now turned for an annual reciprocal tournament with the next matches to be held at both Wirragulla and Richmond.
"It certainly has great merit and it would be a big deal for Wirragulla to host an international match," he said.
Blundell spent many of his childhood school holidays in Hawaii with his grandparents and relished the chance between competition days to visit parts of the island with his family.
The team was sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines, MJ Bale Clothing Company and brewing company, Wingman.