2018 Inductees

B O O T H I L L M U S E U M

Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame

2018 Inductees

Loren Doll

2018
Rancher/Cattleman

Loren Doll was born in Dodge City to Fred and Dora Doll on July 9, 1929. Growing up in Wright, Kansas, he attended school in Dodge City. Loren still holds the Kansas high school record for most hits in a single baseball game (six) with Dodge City High School where he graduated in 1947. Additionally, he had a season batting average of .524, which is a school record that stands over 70 years later. In 2014, Loren was inducted into Dodge City High School's "Ring of Honor." After high school, Loren played for the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for four years. While playing in Greenwood, Mississippi, for the Dodgers’ minor league team, he married Veleeta Anders on April 26, 1951. He and Veleeta returned to Kansas rather than relocate to Quebec, Canada for the Dodgers. He continued his pro-ball career for another year as first baseman with the Hutchinson, Kansas farm club affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1961, Loren took a risk when he, his father and three Irsik brothers started Ingalls Feedyard. This feed yard is one of seven feed yards now operated by Irsik and Doll Company. The feed yards have grown from the original 2,500 head capacity at Ingalls Feedyard to a total capacity of 280,000 head. The company expanded under Loren's leadership. In addition to feed yards, Irsik and Doll also operates a number of grain elevators and several integrated joint agricultural ventures that complement the operations of Irsik and Doll. In 1983, Loren and his family formed Loren Doll, Inc., which is involved in beef and grain production. Loren retired from Irsik and Doll in April 1989, though he continued to serve in a leadership capacity as a member of the board of directors until 2004. With his guidance, second generation family members now serve as Irsik and Doll board members. Loren participated in numerous civic activities in his lifetime. He has served as Mayor of Ingalls and served as a member of the Ingalls school board. He was a member of the Kansas Wheat Commission. He continues to stay engaged in cattle feeding and other agricultural pursuits. In 2015, Loren Doll was inducted into the National Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame. Loren and Veleeta live in Dodge City and enjoy spending time with their children and spouses, Jan (Mike) McNiece, Kathy (Dan) Miller, Steve (Deb) Doll, Mike Doll, John (Janet) Doll and Lori (John) Oldham, along with their grandchildren and great grandchildren.

"Finding people smarter than you are in certain areas is key."

Charlie Meade

2018
Cowboy Historian

On January 10, 1935, Dodge City pioneer and lawman, Hamilton B. "Ham" Bell delivered Charlie Meade in the back of his ambulance in rural Ford County Kansas. Charlie sees it as fitting that he became a Dodge City lawman himself. Charlie's parents were Logan A. and Pearl L. Meade. At the time the Meades lived on a ranch owned by Charlie's grandfather, William M. Meade. The family can trace its lineage back to General George G. Meade who commanded the Union forces at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In 1939, the family moved to a ranch 37 miles northwest of Dodge City in Hodgeman County and Charlie attended a rural school until fourth grade. The family again moved into Jetmore where Charlie was schooled through his sophomore year at Jetmore High School. Charlie finished his secondary education graduating from Hanston High School in 1953, after which he went a year to Garden City Junior College. He moved to Dodge City in 1955, taking a job as a clerk at May Sporting Goods. Charlie served his country enlisting in the Army for two years starting in 1960. He then joined the Kansas National Guard for four years. On November 1, 1965, Marshal Ramon K. House swore Charlie in as a Dodge City Marshal, which was what policemen were called in those days. In the 1960's, Charlie opened a gun shop in Dodge City. He is still extremely knowledgeable about typical cowboy and western firearms. He was a member of the Dodge City Posse, but was unable to participate in the 1961 inauguration of U.S. President John F. Kennedy due to his wife, Vicki's, illness. In 1966, Charlie participated in the Y/O Ranch's cattle drive riding over 600 miles from Mountain Home, Texas to Dodge City. Charlie settled on a ranch south of Dodge City which is fittingly on the famous Western Cattle Trail with his back pasture being a likely holding area for its herds headed north to the railway. When the Dodge City Trail of Fame was incorporated in 2005, Charlie joined the group taking visitors on walking tours around the Dodge City downtown historic district. His tours stimulate visitors', as well as locals', interest in southwest Kansas heritage leaving them with a strong desire to learn about our history. Preserving history in this way is what defines Charlie as a historian. Charlie has also traveled across the Nation promoting Kansas history in places as far-flung as Pendleton, Oregon; Crestview, Florida; and California. In 2006, he was sworn in as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal, a title he proudly holds. In 2018, Charlie was the Dodge City Days Parade Marshal. Charlie Meade lives with his wife, Vicki, on their ranch south of Dodge City.

"I figured since I was brought into this world by a marshal, I ought to be one."

Roland Hein

2018
Rodeo Cowboy

Roland Hein was born to Ruben and Elisabeth Hein in Gate, Oklahoma on August 27, 1930. Raised during the Great Depression and the dust bowl, Roland had a deep appreciation for hard work, integrity, sacrifice and thrift. He initially honed his skills working on the family ranch in the short-grass country of Oklahoma and later as a ranch hand on the Bar-B Ranch. Early in life his dream was to be a cowboy and he spent his life living that dream. Roland had high expectations for himself, everyone and everything around him. He had a drive to win, regardless if it was poker, pitch or rodeo. When he pulled his rig onto the fairgrounds, everyone knew he was there to make them laugh, share some wisdom and win. Roland gained the respect of his competitors as a top rodeo athlete, which is not an easy thing to do. It takes more than sheer ability, which Roland put on display every time the chute gate opened. He pulled off this rare feat with the combination of magnetic personality, integrity, sharp wit, dry humor and a command of the English language. "You could love him or hate him for his accomplishments in the arena, but you had to respect him for being a stand-up guy with an unmatched will to win," Todd Domer. On June 1, 1958, he married Anita Smith and the couple had one daughter, Cathy in 1959. Their marriage lasted 51 years until Anita's death. In the early years, Roland rode saddle broncs, then switched to calf roping, but an injury to his leg cut his calf roping career short and left him with a life-long limp. To stay in the saddle, he took up team roping where he found his passion as a heeler. He continued to rodeo as a successful team roping heeler for over 40 years. On rural properties he maintained, he built arenas and kept steers and horses as he rodeoed every weekend, mentoring many of today's ropers. He was the United Rodeo Association Team Roping Champion in 1971, 1973 and 1975. In 1987, he won the Kan-Rope Association Open Champion Heeler and he secured the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Team Roping Championship in 1991. He was the United States Team Roper Champion at the age of 71. He was a family man, partner and friend. "Be of good cheer," was his parting remark to everyone. He'd make everybody laugh and make them mad. He could be trusted with a secret or one's wallet and, when the chips were down, he'd get the job done. Many who knew him as a roper, knew nothing about his full-time jobs outside the arena. They assumed he was a full-time cowboy. This defines Roland Hein - 100% cowboy.

"To me, he was goodness and decency with skin on.", Norman W. Hein, nephew.

Barry Elliott

2018
Working Cowboy

Barry Elliott was born on June 27, 1947 in Wamego, Kansas to O.N. and Gladys Elliott. At the early age of 10, Barry began working with his father on the Sells Ranch in Pexico, Kansas. After graduating from High School, he worked for the Dewey Ranch in Manhattan, Kansas and did day work on various other ranches in the area. Then for 10 years he served as ranch manager at Booth Creek Ranch in Olsburg, Kansas. It was during this time he began competing in rodeo. He won the 1966 Stockyards Championship Rodeo Association Bareback World Championship; the 1967 Salina, Kansas Bull Riding Championship; and the 1968 Broncos Riding Championship. He held memberships in the Southwestern Rodeo Association, United Rodeo Association, United States Team Roping Championships and Rodeo Cowboy Association. Barry met his wife, Martha, at St. George, Kansas where she was training horses and giving lessons at her Powder Puff Downs boarding stables. Here the two trained horses together from 1977 to 1984. In 1984, the couple and their two daughters moved to Jetmore, Kansas where Barry worked as head cowboy at Harms Cattle Company. In 1986, Barry began working as a pen rider for the Ford County FeedYard, which moved the family to Wright, Kansas. That same year he was involved in an accident while team roping and was life-watched in Wichita. After being in a coma for 37 days, doctors informed him he would never ride a horse again. However, after months of grueling physical therapy and encouragement from Martha, he resumed being a pen rider, horse trainer, team roper and farrier for the next 30 years. In 1999, he won top heeler at the Winter Feed Yard Team Roping. Barry worked at many local feed yards until partial retirement in 2016, when he worked for Winter Livestock taking cattle out of the sale ring on horseback to load out. Barry retired completely in 2017, but still assists his son-in-law and his neighbors when a cow or calf needs doctoring or cattle need to be gathered. Barry is a past member of the Dodge City Days Roundup Association. The Elliotts live in Wright and have four grown children, Megan (Shawn) Kaufman, Shana (Slade) Tilley, Mitch Elliott and Russ Elliott. They have five grandchildren Macy Elliott, Myah Elliott, Harlee Tilley, Logan Kaufman and Kyle Elliott.

Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame connections: Early in his career, Barry spent several days working with 2014 KCHF Working Cowboy Dusty Anderson. He also worked for Richard Ingland (2003 Working Cowboy) and day worked for Jerry Peck (2015 Working Cowboy).

"Ya know, a cowboy is only as good as his best horse."

Virginia Robinson Moore

2018
Cowboy Entertainer/Artist

Virginia Robison was born to Ernest and Maude Robison on November 25, 1925 in Midway, Kansas. As a young adult, Virginia saw that trick riding was a lifestyle she wanted to pursue after watching trick riding in southeast Kansas rodeos. When she was still in high school, her father bought her a trick riding horse and a saddle, which she still has today, from Clark Schultz. In 1944, she began her career in amateur rodeos. She joined the Rodeo Cowboy Association the next year and continued trick riding for the next 15 years. With the help of her mother she designed and sewed many of her riding costumes, while her father did his part by helping train her horse and assisting with practice. Virginia traveled the country performing at rodeos including The Johnny Lee Wills Rodeo in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and at Rodeos in Nebraska, Charlotte, North Carolina; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Nashville, Tennessee; Fort Smith, Arkansas; Bismarck, North Dakota and Salinas, California. She performed in prison rodeos in Huntsville, Texas and McAlester, Oklahoma. She also appeared with the Jimmie Murphy Crew, jumping her horse over a car. She had the distinction of working with the Billy Veach Rodeo, Walt Plugge Rodeo, Homer Todd, Ken Roberts and Burr Andrews. She also did square dancing on horseback with the Clyde Miller Rodeo. She had a chance to perform internationally, but did not want risk harming her horse by traveling outside the United States. Virginia mainly used a palomino, Silver, for trick riding, but she had another horse, Chalk, who was trained to do tricks such as putting his head between his front legs as in prayer, dancing on his hind legs and picking up Moore's hat from the ground and handing it to her. Virginia was a great ambassador for the State of Kansas. When other cowgirls and cowboys came to visit, she made sure they received a proper introduction to the State. During World War II she worked at the Parsons Ammunition Plant when she wasn't rodeoing. Later she worked at the Anshires Coat Factory in Pittsburg. By the time of her retirement in 1984, when the factory closed, she was a supervisor. On May, 28 1960 she married Richard W. Moore. He died on April 12, 1988. Virginia has two grown children Graig and Kevin Moore. She also has two grandchildren, Miranda and Matthew Moore.

"I watched them ride [at rodeos], and I always wanted to be a trick rider."