Seven hall of fame inductions next week in Warwick

A WHO'S WHO of rodeo cowboys and rodeo committee set to be inducted into Australian Rodeo Heritage Centre Hall of Fame.

HALL OF FAMER: Retired bullfighter Pat Speedy is one of seven inductions to the Australian Rodeo Heritage Centre Hall of Fame next week. Picture: Kenyon Sports Photos

RODEO: Wally Woods will be one of the four cowboys inducted into the Australian Rodeo Heritage Centre Hall of Fame on Tuesday night.

Bob Holder, Pat Speedy and the late Tom Willoughby will also be inducted.

Woods lives in Victoria and is a brother of hall of fame inductee, the late Allan Woods.

Past Calgary (Canada) saddle bronc winner Darryl Kong lives at Thane's Creek, west of Warwick, and is on the induction committee along with John "Happy” Gill and Bonny Young.

"Wally Woods was a great competition in the late 1940s and 1950s and is a past president and retired member of the Australian Rough Riders Association, now APRA, board of directors.

"Wally's best event was the saddle bronc, then known as the buckjump, and he won titles in the APRA,” he said.

Pat Speedy was bullfighter of the year in the APRA in 1982 and competed in bullfighting in North America.

He lives at Kalbar where he bred some of the best bucking bulls to compete in the APRA.

"Pat is regarded as the best bullfighter produced in Australia,” Kong said.

The late Tom Willoughby was one of the first all around cowboy winners in the APRA.

He was originally from New South Wales but spent a lot of time in South Australia.

"Tom specialised in rough stock and also competed in roping,” Kong said.

Three rodeo committee will be inducted on Tuesday night, Mt Isa (Queensland), Kyabram (Victoria) and Carrieton (SA).

"None of the three committee to be inducted have missed a rodeo since they started,” he said.

"Mt Isa is in its 60th year and is the biggest paying rodeo in Australia. Carrieton in its early days was known for the quality of its horses in the era before contractors became involved.

"Kyabram has strongly supported the APRA over the years and is one of the most popular rodeos in Victoria.”

While Woods, Holder and Speedy and family members are expected at the induction ceremony on Tuesday night along with representatives of the Willoughby family, all three rodeo committees to be inducted will have six or eight representatives.

"The night doubles as a competitors reunion.”

Doors open at 5pm Tuesday at the Warwick Senior Citizens Centre with dinner at 6pm.

All welcome, limited tickets available this Thursday at Warwick Rodeo Heritage Centre on 46618183.