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Recipients |  |
Recipients
2009 Recipients
Doc' s Defender
Rick Tranter
I believe that Rick Tranter was the prime force behind developing the National Reining Horse Association. Rick was President in 1991 he 
International Reining Council Australia representative 1992 to 1994. He was president of The Queensland Reining Association for several years and ran the largest Reining Show Australia has ever had with 1200 spectators. He instigated the first Celebrity Reining in Australia – ran it, coached the celebrities, ran the show and competed in it. John Farnham won the celebrity reining. Rick was prominent as a competitor. Records for that period are unavailable but he won Moonbi Reining Futurity 1988, 1989 and 1990. He won the NRHA Futurity 1993 on Watch Me Spin, was Hi point Trainer 1990-1995, won the Open at the Nationals at least twice and was part of the team that won the International Nations Cup at St. Paul, Minnesota USA. Rick and Judy established Mavericks Western Stores and commitment to business made competing at the top level difficult. The need to focus on business brought his decision to retire from reining involvement.
It is my opinion that should he have continued to compete Rick would have attained Legend Rider Status with Reining Australia. I urge Reining Australia to give favourable consideration to inducting Rick Tranter into the Hall of Fame.
~ Ian Francis Nominator
Phil & Dot Rodey
Phil and Dot Rodey have had a life time involvement in reining stretching back to well before NRHA (Australia) or Reining Australia came into being. In 1988 Phil and Dot organised two meetings (one at Cobbitty and one in Dubbo) to see if there was enough interest in forming a Reining Horse Association here in Australia. In 1989 at Tamworth the first Board was elected and in the same year the first NRHA Futurity Show was held at Whittlesea, Victoria. A full reining program with a $3000.00 Futurity was held – the ten board members each donating $300.00 for the Futurity prize money. 
I believe that reining in Australia owes a debt of recognition for the effort and loyalty that Dot and Phil extended to the industry. I therefore urge Reining Australia to consider them for induction into the Reining Australia Hall of Fame. ~ Ian Francis Nominator
2008 Hall of Fame Recipients
Doc’s Spinifex (IMP)
Photo of Mr Robert Woodward owner of Doc's Spinifex receiving the Hall of Fame Plaque, presented bt Reining Australia President Susan Camfferman
Ian Francis 2008 Hall of Fame Recipient
Ian Francis began training horses to supplement his income during the beef depression in the early 1970's. Kolora Quarter Horse Stud principals John and Jenny Kingston offered him the job of Manager/Trainer of their stud in 1974, thus involving him in the western performance show ring. He quickly proved hard to beat in most western performance classes, but having had rodeo and campdrafting as a foundation, reined cowhorse and reining became his signature events. Prior to the formation of NRHA (Reining Australia) Ian had shown more than 50 AQHA National Champions and 6 High Point Reining Horse of Australia winners. His involvement in NRHA (Reining Australia) began in 1991 and he
won the Premier State Show Reining Futurity and was 4th in the NRHA Futurity that year. In 1992 he showed both Champion and Reserve Champion at the NRHA Futurity and Ian has accumulated 5 NRHA Futurity Champions with six horses, 4 NRHA Reserve Futurity Champions, 4 Derby Champions, 4 Derby Reserve Champions, Equitana Masters Champion and he is the only Australian to win the Open Division of the IRC World Cup. Ian became the first rider to accumulate $100,000 in reining earnings qualifying him for Legend Rider Status. Through most of his career with reining Ian was the man holding up the high bar in competition standards, he is a noted clinician , motivator, and has been mentor to many of Australia's leading trainers and Non Pro's. A quote from an article written in 2000 reads " If he turns up he will be ready and the class won't be won until he has had his run" aptly describes the man.
Ian recorded a video message to accept his award, and the photo is taken of Ian on the big screen. Photo of Ian's award plaque with Board member Deb Versluis and Susan Camfferman.
