CAN PLAY: Ryle Waugh in action for Cunningham in an A-grade mixed state championship victory at Chinchilla.
CAN PLAY: Ryle Waugh in action for Cunningham in an A-grade mixed state championship victory at Chinchilla. Joe Mcinally Photography Httpwwwpolopicscom

All in the family is a fine winning feeling

RYLE Waugh believes winning a team state championship with three family members is the pinnacle in her sport.

Ryle combined with her sister Ella and Lauren Cant in the ladies section, while her father Allan Waugh, brother Todd and Aaron Sillitoe were in the men's section from Cunningham club which beat Tansey 29-9 in the A-grade mixed final at the Queensland Polocrosse Championships.

She won the best lady player of the carnival award and the best Australian Stock Horse award in all grades with her 12-year-old mare Emarillon Obsession, nicknamed Squishy. The horse was bred by Scott Welsh, at Ebor, near Glen Innes.

Ryle has ridden Squishy for the past six years.

"I am undecided about how much longer to play her," Ryle said.

The Cunningham ladies only conceded one goal during the three days of the state championships at Chinchilla.

Ryle, who has represented Australia at intermediate level, is now determined to play for the Queensland open side in the 2016 nationals in Albury after being in intermediates this year.

She is currently in the Australian intermediate squad and hopes to make the open squad after Albury.

"Ella and I practice and play together, so our combination is second nature," Ryle said.

"She played unreal and picked up all the ball from the lineup in Chinchilla. I don't know how Ella didn't win a major award.

"It is awesome to play with Ella at club and Queensland level and it would be even better to play together for Australia."

"That is not the focus right now; my aim is just to improve in the next two years."

Their father is their coach and they ride once or twice a day and practice three or four times a week with a racquet in hand on all different horses.

"It gets your reaction time better if you have different horses. You are not relying on the horse," Ryle said.

The team win at Chinchilla was the first for Ryle, but Ella has previously won state championships in junior and open competitions.

At club level, the four Waughs often play together in open competition.

"I usually play in the same section as Dad, and Ella is in the same section as Todd. It works for me as Dad coaches me while we play."

Next year, Ryle said it would be nice to try to retain the title.

"We had the horses to win this year; it all depends on the horses. It would be even better to win next year as the state championships are being hosted by our club."



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