Organisers of the presentation ceremony, rang his partner, Deb, who recounts: "I wasn't supposed to tell him but they were ringing me to get information and in the end I said, 'You're better off ringing his Mum and then she can ring me because it wouldn't look so suss'. And in the end I pulled him aside and said, 'You've got to go'.
 
Ray and Deb are establishing a property close to Winton where, apart from other farm work, he is building a portable arena and chutes, and breeding and breaking horses.
 
"Any young person is better off going to someone who knows, and doing a school first up. That way you get no bad habits, you learn the right way from the word go. If you've been riding for a while and then do a school to learn the proper way, then as soon as you get into trouble you go back to your old habits. It's hard to change again. Timing and balance are more important than strength in bronc riding.
 
"I'd say to a person starting off, do a school before you even get on a bastard. You have to sit on them right - some people lean over. Some kids who've never sat on a horse before they do my school come out better than some that have been riding for a little while. I run a lot of schools and I'll run more once I get set up here.
 
"I've been pretty pranged up though. Seven broken arms, I broke my chest once, plenty of ribs - I wouldn't know how many of them. Cracked my vertebrae tipping over, and I've got a plate in my knee. And I've broken an ankle a couple of times. But I've done a lot of rodeos - I did 96 rodeos in 1987. You'd never be able to do that now - too dear. I nearly always had a broken arm, but I used to change hands - I could ride either hand. I used to ride with my left but it got too buggered - there's a plate in it now. But I was lucky, I fluked some good doctors and specialists. I've got a mechanical bucking machine which I practise on, and that's the best physio.
 
"I reckon bronc riding's the safest form of rodeo. Even though I've broken a lot of bones, look at the blokes who haven't. I was unlucky with so many mad horses I used to fall off. Bronc riders will go on longer than bareback riders or bullriders, normally. I've got a few years to ride yet. As long as you keep active, watch what you get on, and don't get on rat things. I've taken my saddle and halter off and walked away at times. If the horse was no good there was no chance of winning any money on him".
 
Ray has no routine of mental preparation before getting on a horse, rather "Dutch courage".
 
"I might have a couple of whiskeys ? I have mates everywhere who want to have a drink with me. But I just get on and go. It's a job. But as soon as I nod my head I'm dead serious though.
 
"Down at Kyabram years ago I was getting on this horse and I had a couple of beers in me and was in a good, happy mood. And I had a bit of an audience around me while I was getting on. And I leaned over the chute gate and said, 'Excuse me, Sir, could you release this beast?'
 
"I know nothing about Blondie. I wouldn't have a clue how that started. Only a campfire rumour, that."