"I've travelled all the time since I came to Australia in 1974 from New Zealand. I followed my older brothers, Gary, Stuart and Noel, and I've never been back. I've made a life here of rodeoing and had a family, and my daughter's following in my footsteps. I've got a few children but there's a bit of a story there as they are by four different women. Nicole's Mum, Teresa, and I were together for about 14 years and it's all thanks to her that my career came about. I used to hang about and win a bit of money, but then I had a family and I had to feed them, so I had to get serious about rodeoing.
 
"I broke in horses all over the place and made a couple of movies doing a bit of stunt work. I was the double for Brian Dennehy, the main actor in The Man from Snowy River - I did all his riding. That was different. Nicole was only a baby and I said to Teresa, 'Well we've got a bit of money now, let's hit the road'. And in 1997/98 I won $40,000. I won a lot of money every year for a few years.
 
"I have 160 buckles in my house. A mate of mine's going to build me a table to put them all in. We'll put them in sequence - like the All Round, steer wrestling, 17 ropings, then Year End Champions".
 
Paddy McCoy says of Big Robbie: "He's very competitive, and he gets paid at every rodeo he goes to, so good luck to him". Bronc riders know they are safe if he's their pick-up man. He is always described as a true professional at his sport, and one that you'd prefer to have on your side in any stoush.
 
As Chute Boss, Russell Peters puts it: "Robbie's good. I've seen him push riders off because they're damaging the buck jumper. And Robbie's knocking his own horse around trying to tell the fool to get off the horse, telling the rider to 'Get over the top of me', and he's still sitting there. Some of the younger fellows might freeze up on a horse and not want to get off, or they're not real sure which way to go, so Robbie just reminds them. And you wouldn't argue with him, not if you had any brains. I've been a bouncer at the Irish Club and Boydies in the Isa for 22 years so size doesn't worry me. Robbie's just another man with a heart".
 
A very big, generous one, not only for his own much-loved children.
 
"The thing with homeless kids - it's a shame. I've found different kids around the place and I've taken them in and got them going and got them jobs and sent them on. People say, 'Don't bother with that kid, he's not worth it'. But how can you say that until you give him a chance? Everyone's got to have a chance".