When it comes to Rodeo, Pick Up Man are crucial to the sport. The surname Kelly is well-known in the industry as some of the best pick up men in the business. From a long line of Rodeo Pick Up Men, and a man of many talents, we caught up with the legend himself, Peter Kelly, for a chat on how it all began and the highlights of his career so far. Peter calls Upper Horton in NSW home, on a property which has been a part of his family for generations, since the 1900’s.

Wrangler (WR): How did it all begin for Peter, tell us the story of how you become a Rodeo Pick Up Man?

Peter Kelly (PK): Firstly, my father and uncle did it and I carried it on from there, many years ago.

WR: How do you prepare for picking up at a rodeo?

PK: It’s like anything in life, like a good cricketer or the good footballer, be prepared, get your horses right, get yourself right and work with the contractor that you’re picking up with on the day and it all sort of falls into place from there.

WR: How do you stay physically fit or is it more about keeping your horses physically fit?

PK: The horse is the number one, keeping them fit all the time, we’re very lucky on our place we’ve got sheep & cattle so they get used to go mustering most days. Unfortunately, the older you get the harder you have to work to tune things up, so you stay at that high end level or at the highest peak anyway.

WR: Who has been your biggest influences in pick up?

PK: Definitely my father and my uncle, and also the rodeo contractor Peter Gill and Byron Gill, when they initially took me on many years ago. And in later years, Malcom & Eddie Gill. They’ve helped me to be hopefully good at it.

WR: Most memorable moment in Picking Up?

PK: I have a lot of them, but I guess in 2019 I was named APRA Pick Up Man of the Year and in the same year I was named ABCRA Pick Up Man of the Year, that’s pretty unique in two different associations; I was awarded probably one of the highest accolades you could possibly ever get.

WR: What do you love most about Picking Up at Rodeos?

PK: Just the fact of the horses and the contractors, that allow me to do a good job across rodeos all over Australia. Which is incredibly unique and very nice.

WR: Tell us a Fun Fact about you?

PK: I don’t only Pick Up, I campdraft and used to ride Saddle Broncs too.

WR: How do rodeo commentators best describe you or how would you like them to describe you?

PK: Funny you ask that, when you do your job, you don’t realise anyone else is there. You don’t hear anything, you’re just trying to do the job. The fact is, in most places, most people wouldn’t even know you're there, if you’re doing your job properly. You don’t worry about what people say, the number one priority is looking after the cowboy & the bronc. And doing that in the safest best manner possible.

WR: Which rodeos are your favourites to pick up at?

PK: Aww there’s a few of those, but I like both national finals, the ABCRA & the APRA at Tamworth & Warwick because you get the best of the best there, you get the top stock & the top cowboys. But also, Sydney Show is a great rodeo to be a part of and our home town rodeo Upper Horton.