The news about Ray Hermann getting his own statue in Winton travelled far and wide.
One of Ray’s mates is Roslyn Lindsay, the wife of the late country music star Reg Lindsay.
Roslyn first met the iconic “Winton Whiz” in the early 80s when she began competing on the circuit.
“Ray is one of the nicest and funniest blokes I’ve ever met,” she said.
“Ray is a one-of-a-kind bloke and an icon. He’s a gentleman and a true Aussie.
“Ray is a very accommodating person, and it was so much fun to do rodeos and events at the same time with him.
“Some of the stories Ray would come out with were hilarious.
“The statue is a huge honour and well deserved for Ray, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
After Reg met Ray during a rodeo event, he decided to put his musical talent toward creating a song for the rodeo champion.
Following their marriage in 1988, Roslyn and Reg headed into a Sydney music studio to produce the song.
Within three days of writing, singing, and recording, the 45 single was complete.
“Reg really liked Ray and thought the song was an opportunity to celebrate Australia’s best saddle bronc champion,” Roslyn said.
“Reg loved the idea of cowboys and rodeos, so incorporating Ray into a country-themed song was brilliant.
“Ray didn’t know about the song until we sent 45 singles to his doorstep.
“When he saw them, he laughed. I think he was in shock but very happy that we had done that.”
When Roslyn slowed down with her rodeo career, she shifted her focus to producing music with Reg.
After a 50-year-long career in the spotlight, Reg passed away in 2008, shocking Australian country music fans and leaving Roslyn to navigate life without him.
Now, many years have passed since she last saw Ray, and Roslyn says she misses the “good ol’ days” when they would all attend rodeos together.
“A funny story I still remember was when Ray, a few others, and I would hop into a single-engine propeller plane to travel to different rodeos in Tasmania,” Roslyn said.
“Ray and I would sit in the back with the pilot’s son.
“This one time the plan ended up being too heavy, so for take-off, we all had to lean forward to help the plane lift off the ground.”
Now based in Tamworth, New South Wales, Roslyn manages Reg Lindsay Promotions, promoting his music and memorabilia, as well as the Reg Lindsay and Friends Museum, where a life-sized statue of Reg stands in tribute.
Reflecting on her husband’s statue, Roslyn said she couldn’t be more excited for Ray, calling his upcoming recognition a fantastic initiative and a fitting honour for the Winton Shire.
“I think it’s a fantastic initiative, and it’s well deserved for Ray,” she said.
“I would love to catch up with Ray, have a rum, and reminisce about the good old days.”
