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Ian Murray - Polo Days
11 May 2020
Ian Murray late of Toowoomba (formerly of “Kindee” North Star)
Former Goondiwindi, Queensland and Australian polo player Ian Murray passed away peacefully at home on Thursday 7 May 2020 aged 89 years. Beloved husband of Janie. Dearly loved father of Andrew, Stuart and Melinda and son in law Shaun. Loving grandfather of James, Lachlan, Cody and Sam.
Ian’s polo spanned over 40 years playing with and against many of the great players of that golden era at a time when club polo was at its strongest. A well respected hard man on the field Ian was a fierce but fair competitor and an outstanding horseman playing on some of the finest home bred ponies who was a winning team member of many of the leading country tournaments.
In 1957 he was capped for Australia and partnered with Dick Doolin, Ken Telford and Norman Hoey to defeat the touring USA team Concar at Warwick Farm. In 1958 he toured New Zealand for the Australasian and Saville gold cup with Sinclair Hill, Ken Mackay, Jim Maple Brown and Dick Doolin. In 1960 he partnered with the legendary Bob Skene, Dick Doolin and Ken Mackay to win the County polo tournament. Ian continued to play at a high level for the next twenty years putting together an impressive trophy cabinet before retiring from polo to concentrate on the family property. In 1990 Ian came out of polo retirement to play with his son Stuart (a former Ellerston player) for several years, and most memorably together with Ginger Hunt and Greg Kyte defeating the powerful Ellerston team to win the Donald Macintyre cup at Scone in 1992.
Ian was also a passionate cattle man and went to on achieve great success in the Queensland beef industry with his cattle and properties in the Roma district which are still held and run actively today.
Ian was a great man sadly missed by all.
‘Ian will always be remembered as an exceptional horseman and talented polo player.
Starting polo together, in the early 50’s, deep in the dust on the Boggabilla racecourse is a long way from playing for Australia together on beautiful green polo fields in New Zealand. Sadly we were beaten in the only Test we played, in the extra chukka by a questionable goal.
In one of our many amazing contests at Warwick Farm, Ian rode his horse’s head into my ribs chukka after chukka, over and over again. My reaction was to inflict a serious blow to his head. The whistle blew he remained on the field and I was sent off.
This scar is with him on his way to heaven.
WHAT A WONDERFUL AUSTRALIAN'
SINCLAIR HILL
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