Tom Handley and Rocky Ned, the horse that became a national rodeo legend. Photo: Lost Narrandera Facebook.
‘Rocky Ned’ was more than a horse – he was a legend. A buckjumper of rare skill and temperament, he dominated Australian rodeos for decades and inspired poems, songs and bush verse that celebrated his untamed spirit.
Next weekend, the community of Narrandera will honour him with a plaque at the Murrumbidgee Flats, recognising his impact on both sport and culture.
From the dusty arenas of early 20th‑century rodeos to the touring shows of Thorpe McConville’s Wild Australia, Rocky Ned tested the best riders in the country.
Few could stay on his back, and those who did – such as Gordon Attwater – became part of his enduring story.
Yet his fame wasn’t limited to the ring; poets and musicians celebrated his feats, making Rocky Ned a symbol of courage, skill and the rough-riding tradition of the Australian bush.
Bred at Bingara Station in Northern NSW, Rocky Ned proved impossible to tame – early attempts even hitched him to a team pulling a harvester, which he promptly threw into chaos and injured himself.
He was later sold for a few shillings to Lennon Bros circus as an untrained “outlaw” horse.
A few years later Tom Handley, a WWI veteran and well-known Queensland showman purchased him for his rodeo and using his skill and showmanship, helped the rangy chestnut gelding learn the tricks of a buckjumper – though even Handley admitted that Rocky Ned was “the worst ride he had ever had”.
Handley’s shows became the foundation for Rocky Ned’s public reputation, nurturing riders such as Harry McPhee of “Belltrees”, who became known for their roughriding expertise, while also collaborating with visiting American cowboys to introduce audiences to international rodeo standards and give Rocky Ned exposure to the very best riders of the era.
On several occasions £100 was offered on the Sydney Royal Agricultural Showground for a successful rider but no one was able to lay claim to the money.
After Handley, Rocky Ned, then aged 24, came under the care of Thomas Thorpe McConville, the person who would be most closely associated with his legendary career.
Born in 1880 at Tarago, his boyhood days spent at Yass, Thorpe McConville toured England in 1911 with a troupe of Australian rough riders, performing at the Crystal Palace before King George V during the Coronation celebrations.
He also found himself touring the United States with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show, sharing the stage with famous cowboys such as Tex McLeod, Tom Mix and Will Rogers.
These international experiences helped McConville shape his own professional shows upon returning to Australia, including the famed Wild Australia touring rodeos.
McConville’s productions were meticulously run: riders dressed in spotless white, the animals were well cared for and coarse language was a no-no – a level of professionalism that set his shows apart.
Rocky Ned quickly became the star attraction, performing alongside other renowned horses such as ‘Swannee’, ‘Rise-Up’ and ‘Warrigul’, and McConville would often offer substantial prizes to anyone daring enough to ride these “outlaws”, sometimes backing wagers up to £100, generating excitement and spectacle across NSW and beyond.
Despite his fearsome reputation, Rocky Ned was bested at least once at the Grafton Showground in 1929, when local horseman Gordon Attwater accepted a challenge to ride the horse.
Newspapers described the event:
“Mr Gordon Attwater caused no small sensation at the Grafton Showground last night when he triumphed over Rocky Ned, the famous buckjumper, described as ‘the untamed outlaw’. … handling his wildly bucking mount with the utmost skill, he rode the animal to a standstill … Mr Attwater admitted that Rocky Ned was the toughest problem he had ever encountered, and said that he felt exhausted after his conquest.”
While reports differ on the exact duration of the ride – between 47 seconds and a minute – all agree that Attwater shattered Rocky Ned’s previous records and earned a standing ovation from the crowd.
He might have ridden the horse, but the story goes he had to be helped from the saddle and spent the next two weeks in Grafton Hospital.
Apparently, McConville offered Attwater £200 to have another go on the grand old horse, but Attwater would not accept the challenge.
Rocky Ned’s fame extended far beyond the rodeo ring in poems and bush verse celebrating his exploits and cementing his status as one of the iconic horses of Australian sporting and cultural history:
“Old Rocky Ned has but one eye,
They say he’s hard to ride;
But if you ask the reason why —
I’ll say I’ve never tried”.
In 1939, country music pioneer Tex Morton immortalised the outlaw horse in his song “Rocky Ned (The Outlaw)”, released on 78 rpm.
Following Rocky Ned’s final public appearance at the Narrandera Show in February 1941, writer W Tye penned a poetic tribute:
“The long trek has ended, your race has been run,
And you at sweet leisure may rest;
In the bends of the river, the goal you have won,
Since, old fellow, you gave of your best.”
Rocky Ned spent his final years at McConville’s property near Narrandera.
Under McConville’s careful management, the horse widely regarded as Australia’s greatest buckjumper remained celebrated until the end and was laid to rest beneath a gum tree on the property, remembered both as a performer and as a symbol of the courage and skill required to ride a true “outlaw”.
Thorpe McConville himself passed away in 1952 but Glen Ward – who grew up in Narrandera – said his father, who worked on the property, showed him the spot Rocky Ned was laid to rest.
“I thought I should make sure he was remembered and fortunately the new owner of the property knew the story and agreed,” he said.
The plaque to Rocky Ned is being unveiled at the gates of “RiverBends”, Gillenbah, on Saturday 28 February at 10 am.
Thanks to the efforts of River Bends owner Graeme Mathieson and Glen Ward, a perpetual trophy in Rocky Ned’s honour will also be presented to the Narrandera Pro Rodeo committee for presentation to the champion rider at the annual rodeo.
The ceremony will include members of the McConville family and Narrandera’s Texas Rose will sing the famous Tex Morton hit Rocky Ned.
