AQHA November/December 2016 Magazine Volume 16 Number 6 | Seite 16

Supplied by the Rudd Family
It is with great pride that we recount
the life of our father, Les Rudd. It’s
hard to know where to begin, because
he was a character that was bigger
than anything you could ever put
on paper. There have been so many
different chapters in the story that
makes up Dad’s life.
Dad was born in Mt Isa in January
1941, the first-born son to Leslie and
Eva Rudd. He was the son of a copper
miner and did all his schooling in
Mt Isa. His younger and only sibling
John was born on 1946.
Dad was a fit, strong young man
and in his early life he worked as a
jockey, a horse breaker, and a drover
amongst other things. He had a keen
passion for pushbike racing and he
loved to box. Never a drinker, Dad
gained a reputation as a tough young
man who could fight like hell, was
unbeatable in the boxing ring and
could ride any buckjumper put in
front of him.
In 1959, Dad had a milk delivery
run and one day he spotted a girl
with long red hair. That beautiful
girl, Jean Rudd, was the youngest
daughter of Mo and Maggie Wright,
who at that time owned Buffalo
Plains at Quamby. Dad married that
beautiful girl and their early-married
years were spent in the Gulf Country.
They worked on both Boomera and
Roxmere Stations. They also spent
time on Woondoola and managed
Armraynald Station. Dad and Mum
used to reflect on those days as such
a wonderful time in their life. They
met and made so many lifelong
friends in that country. Dad was
desperate to do a trip back to that
Gulf Country to revisit and reminisce
about that wonderful time in his life.
It was also during their time in the
Gulf that Les and Jean started their
family. In 1963 their first daughter
Janice was born and in 1965 Maree
entered the world. In 1970, the
young family moved back to Mt Isa so
that Janice could start her schooling.
Les started work at Mt Isa mines
alongside his father and he continued
to train racehorses. In 1972, their
son Leslie Junior was born and
a year later the family moved to
Townsville, so that Les could train

racehorses full time. He was
a very successful trainer and
won the Townsville Trainers
Cup in 1973. He used to
break in his own horses
and ride his own track
work. During his time
in Townsville he broke
in horses for Brunette
Downs, a cattle station in
the Northern Territory
that was at that time
owned by King Ranch.
In 1978, Dad took a
position on Macquarie
Downs for King
Ranch Australia.
Dad’s role was to establish a
Quarter Horse Stud and a breeding
program in Australia and it was a
place he truly loved to be.
Through his work at King Ranch,
Dad was introduced to the sport of
Cutting and arguably this was to be
one of his greatest life long passions.
Thanks to legendary cutting horse
trainer, Joe Davis, numerous trips to
the US to train under Buster Welsh
and being exposed to some of the
best horseflesh in the country, Dad’s
spark for training cutting horses was
ignited. Together with his children,
the family won numerous Australian
and State Titles.
Dad would talk so passionately about
some very special horses that he
showed over the years. Peppy Snake,
King Ranch Newgate, Brunette
Naaman and Brunette Madacia.
Everyone loves that picture of Dad
showing Peppy Snake without a
bridal at a King Ranch Open Day.
On his first trip to the States, Dad
was privileged to ride the world
famous Mr San Peppy, an experience
that he would later call the thrill
of a lifetime. Dad loved D Bar Little
San Drifter that he showed for the
Schottelious family, and he also
talked fondly of Little Smarty Oak
that he bought as a yearling, trained
and futuritied and won Comet
Futurity with.
In the late 80’s Dad left King Ranch
and hung his shingle out as a public
trainer. He spent a lot of time on
Rolf Park with Alan and Beth

Page 16 • The Aus tralian Quarter Horse Magazine November • December • 2016

Schottelious,
at Middlemount.
Dad trained and showed
in a golden era, when at every
cutting or show there was always a
dance. And boy, did that man love to
danceHe wasn’t a drinker and spent
all his time at those nights carving
up the dance floor.
As a public trainer, Dad loved
introducing and encouraging new
comers to the discipline of cutting.
He loved giving people confidence
when they showed their horses and
he loved seeing his clients hard
work pay off when they achieved
great things in the arena, but what
he really loved was the time that he
spent with people. Dad was a people
person. He loved having people come
over for lessons and he loved it when
they bought a cake for smoko and
the chat that came with it. He loved
travelling, he loved going to shows
and he loved meeting new people.
He was generous with his time and
it didn’t matter whom you were, Dad
loved to sit down and catch up.
In 2011, just five years ago, Dad was
still winning big. He was so proud to
win the Comet futurity on a horse of
his own. He has started, trained and
encouraged many people to enjoy the
sport that he loved so much. In 1998,
Dad was inducted into the NCHA
Hall of Fame for his outstanding
contribution to the sport of cutting.
He was genuinely humbled to be
honoured in this way by his peers.