Clifford Kuhopio Dudoit Sr.
Year Inducted: 2022
Dudoit Ranch | Molokaʻi
Puʻu o Hoku Ranch | Molokaʻi
Molokaʻi Ranch | Molokaʻi
Kapualei Ranch | Molokaʻi
Clifford Kuhopio Dudoit Sr. was born to Jules Kukaʻiau Dudoit Sr. and Barbara Yoshie Yeda, on June 7, 1948, on the island of Molokaʻi. Clifford was raised with his family in the ahupua’a of Kūmimi in the Manaʻe (east region) of Molokaʻi. He is the descendent of French Consulate, Jules Dudoit and Hawaiian nobility, Kahooilina Paki. Clifford married the love of his life, Rania Kuulei Perez on August 17, 1968 and share 5 children. Clifford was raised paniolo and developed exceptional horsemanship and ranching skills at a very young age. His daily tasks on the Dudoit Ranch included herding cattle, mending fences, tending to livestock and equipment, maintaining grazing areas, and providing food for his family. As a young man, he learned to break and train horses.
In the mid-70s, Clifford Dudoit was hired and remained manager for the Puʻu o Hoku Ranch. Following his time there, he continued as a cowboy for Molokaʻi Ranch. Clifford’s horsemanship skills, livestock management skills, and intimate knowledge of the ʻāina made him a valuable asset. As Molokaʻi Ranch began to expand into other ventures and downsize their cattle operation, Clifford left to work in other areas of the Molokaʻi Community. He worked for the State of Hawaiʻi, DOT and then became the manager of Kapualei Ranch. During all of this time, Clifford always remained actively involved in everything paniolo like rodeo competitions.
Clifford’s diligence and love for the paniolo life fostered a passion for teaching his paniolo skills to the younger generation while preserving an “authentic” paniolo heritage. Consequently, Clifford and his wife, Raina, built a reputation throughout Hawaiʻi for being able to teach children to rope and ride competitively. His unorthodox training methods and family centered approach to skill building made his “rodeo school” the perfect place for those more “hard to handle” youth. As a result of his training, several Molokaʻi youths gained state and national championship recognition and titles that included a world-record time in the Team Roping event. Braddah Kaiama and Hano Naehu won world-record times in the 1993 National High School Rodeo Finals in Galette, Wyoming.
Clifford also helped to found and organize rodeo clubs and organizations that continue to support Hawaii’s youth in their secondary education and to excel in the sport of rodeo. Equally impressive are his personal accomplishments. Since beginning rodeo competition as a young man, Clifford has entered the Champions Circle multiple times on county, state and national levels. A two-time qualifier to the National Team Roping Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada, Clifford looks forward to competing once again in the winter of 2022.
Clifford Kuhopio Dudoit Sr. was born, raised and remains na Molokaʻi paniolo. His dedication and commitment to his heritage and the rich paniolo legacy handed down to him from his kupuna is alive and flourishing in future generations. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren cherish and live this beautiful culture and reap the benefits of his wisdom and life.