Today's Golden age portrait is of the amazing Philip Rodey
Born in Cherrybank Walcha 16/5/1942
Their home was a sheep farm of some 1048 acres. Phil was the eldest with a younger sister also born into the family. He said that his Grandmother was midwife at his birth. They had no electricity, so their only lighting was candles and kerosene lamps.
They also had a chip heater for warming their bath water.
Phil learnt to ride and handle horses at a young age, they were essential mustering the sheep. He said he learnt to work from an early age, being a farm kid, he was always expected to help as the sheep were their livelihood.
When his father went away shearing, Phil put time into breaking in some of the horses. He also learnt to butcher sheep at around 10 years old. He was in charge of feeding their 32 dogs, as his father bred Kelpies.
He attended Walcha public for primary, & high school in Walcha at 14 years, he got an exemption to leave early as he hated school.
One of his first tasks after leaving school was to undertake crutching the sheep.
In 1950 he attended his first horse show. the Walcha jubilee, on his horse Betty. Phil also started calf riding at 10 years old.
His father sold the farm in 1957 & they moved to Wynnum qld. they were unable to take their beloved horses with them & they were sold.
His father bought a farm at Redland bay which they used for timber.
When his father purchased a F600 ford truck Phil started interstate truck driving, carrying general freight at age 17 years. he averaged around 3000 miles a week
Phil spent 9 months truck driving, then back on the rodeo circuit to make money. He competed in Saddle Broncos, bareback broncs,Steer wrestling , & bullock rides
Phil won the Sydney royal buck jump 19 years
In around 1962 Phil spent a lot of time in Moree travelling around tractor driving, & wheat farming. In between he would go shearing, then back for harvest
In 1964 he met his wife Dorothy. He recalls first meeting her at Gloucester rodeo, she was competing in the show jumping
They were 22 when they got married in Newcastle. They chose that area as Dot lived in Dalwood at the time, after growing up in Merewether.
They had 3 daughters. Phil recalls that he was away shearing when Janine was born. He did not see her until she was 6 weeks old. He made a trip to see Dot & their daughter, visited for a brief time, then went to the rodeo to compete that night
In 1973 he broke his neck coming off a bronc, He had to get his friend to drive him to Armidale to be looked at. He was in a neck brace for 4 months, & back on a horse before the brace came off.
Phil purchased a 26 foot long caravan, & the family travelled full time so he could go to where the seasonal work was.
When the girls became school age, they took them back to their grandparents so they could commence school, & they just kept travelling. Phil says he & Dot travelled for around 23 years together.
In 1979 Phil went over to America to learn how to school cutting horses, He was gone for 3 months, but he returned inspired to become a trainer, & teach.
After a back injury resulted in 3 discs being cut out from a shearing injury. Phil’s days of travelling for shearing work was over.
Dot & Phil got into running horse shows for a while, such as the Futurity. They ran Dubbo horse show from 1983-1996
Phil started working on building the horse complex and house from 82-86. Dot's father signed the farm over to him in the hopes it would give them a permanent base to stay at.
Phil was paid to judge western, reining, cutting, and cow horse. While Dot did some secretary work, she loved the show scene.
Dot passed away 18th July 2023 They had been married for 58 years.
One of Phils prized possessions is one of his belt buckles. It was given as an appreciation award by the Hunter Valley Quarter horse association.
Phil continued on with running his horse training, & clinics as well as travelling to present clinics.
At 82 years old, he is still on a horse almost daily, still mentoring & teaching.. still starting horses for clients..
He has 7 Grandkids , 2 Great grandchildren, with another on the way.
Although his initial introduction to horses was breaking them in, & rodeo riding, his approach is now natural horsemanship & building trust & respect between horse & human.
