2021 Inductees

DAN ACKLEY - Timed Event

Dan Ackley

Dan Ackley, who passed away in 2018, was a resident of Prineville, Ore. before he and his late wife Judy moved to Rainier, Washington. He won the steer wrestling at the 1984 St. Paul Rodeo. He worked the timed event chutes at various PRCA rodeos across the Northwest and qualified for the National Finals Rodeo three times in the steer wrestling (1977-79). He also competed in the tie-down and team roping.

An accomplished wood and metal artist, he made beautiful hand-crafted furniture to sell at the Wild West Art Show, where his nickname was “The Mayor.” Dan’s late wife, Judy, who passed away last year, was a St. Paul Rodeo arena secretary and was inducted into the St. Paul Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2004.

IVAN BLOSSER - St. Paul Rodeo Membership

Ivan Blosser

Ivan Blosser, St. Paul, was an active St. Paul Rodeo member for nearly three decades, from the 1950s through the 1970s. He co-chaired the dance hall committee when the St. Paul Rodeo activities included a dance at the open-air pavilion, where the Bull Pen now stands. As a drummer in area bands, including a stint with the Woody Hite band, he played in bands for rodeo social parties.

During the rodeo, his primary job was working the gates as a ticket taker. He was a faithful volunteer with general work parties, and served on the queen and court committee, chaperoning St. Paul Rodeo royalty to various events around the state with his wife, Oma.

Blosser farmed, and the rodeo comes at a busy time for farmers. But he helped anyway. Volunteering was what community people did, said his daughter, Mary Jane Krier. Her parents “did whatever assignment they were given, as did so many other people in the community.”

Mary Jane and her husband Dr. David Krier chair the Wild West Art show; Ivan and Oma’s son Jon Blosser has been a volunteer with the Wild West Art Show for several years.

Blosser passed away in 1975.

BOB HOCKETT - Notable

Bob Hockett

Bob Hockett, an inductee in the notable category, was born in 1938 in Mt.Angel and, as an adult, moved to St. Paul to begin farming. In 1976, he and four other farmers formed Marion Ag Service. Two years later, he bought out the partners and continues to oversee its daily operations, even at the age of 82!

Hockett has contributed to St. Paul in a variety of quiet, understated ways. He has donated time and resources to St. Paul Elementary, the St. Paul Booster Club, the St. Paul Parochial School, and local 4-H and FFA chapters. He has, in the name of the Marion Ag Service, purchased fair animals, allowing the 4-H students to carry feed and expenses on interest-free credit at the store, paying their bills after the auction. He has been a very generous rodeo sponsor through the years.

He is humble, unassuming and quiet (unless he was at the microphone as the voice of the St. Paul Football team!) and does not enjoy the spotlight. However, his countless contributions have made the St. Paul community stronger.

His wife, Judy, passed away in 2010; he is married to Kathleen, a long-time rodeo member. They make their home in Woodburn.

WALT MILLER -St. Paul Rodeo Director/Officer

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Walter Miller was a St. Paul Rodeo officer from 1988-2000.

As a rodeo director, Miller was in charge of parking and security. A carpenter by trade, he worked on the facility and the grounds alongside his cousin, Bill Miller.

He was passionate about the rodeo and loved the social part of it, his son Matt Miller said. “He loved the people and being involved in the community. He loved rodeo in general.”

Matt grew up at the rodeo grounds and remembers the workdays scheduled for Father’s Day. While Matt helped paint the arena walls and chutes, Walt was helping with other things.

Jennifer Schurter, Walt’s daughter, remembers the St. Paul Rodeo as their vacation every summer. They would camp out in a borrowed motorhome across from the Tack Room, so Walt could be close to his “policing” duties. After the rodeo, he would make a lap around the arena, checking on the beer stations. It would take a long time for him to make a lap, Schurter said. He’d find people he knew “and he might spend ten minutes, or an hour, visiting with people.”

Miller is remembered as a happy-go-lucky guy, “the first guy with a big smile on his face when you’d see him,” said Sam McKillip, St. Paul Rodeo Association member. “We all liked Walt. He was easy to be around. He was fully invested in the St. Paul Rodeo.”