Oliver LaVoy "Whitey" White
Year Inducted: 2009
Ulupalakua Ranch | Maui
Oliver LaVoy White, known as “Whitey,” was a true ranch foreman who loved the land, supported his paniolo working men and the paniolo lifestyle. Whitey was born in Chico , California and first came to Hawai’i as an underwater welder to help rebuild Pearl Harbor . He never left Hawai’i once he arrived. After working in Pearl Harbor , Whitey moved to Kaua’i where he continued his contract work and there he married Anna Rivera.
He then moved his company and family to Maui. There Whitey met EHK Baldwin while doing water tank repairs for Ulupalakua Ranch. They became friends and Baldwin contracted Whitey to break 30 eight year old wild horses. Whitey did this work in his spare time as he was still working for his partnership company, Kaua’i Development. When Whitey finished breaking them, Baldwin offered him the job of Ranch Foreman; Whitey then moved his family to Ulupalakua Ranch in 1954.
Whitey learned the Hawaiian language and was adept with the Paniolo language. As a horseman he was highly regarded by his superiors and peers. Whitey’s legacy lies in the quality of horsemanship he brought to Ulupalakua Ranch. He served as Ranch Foreman until 1969, and was responsible for many improvements and new ranch practices, especially in handling and training of horses. As a hard working foreman, he trained his string of horses and mentored paniolo. He repaired saddles and experimented with improvements to the lasso. Growing up in California , Whitey was a skilled hackamore braider and trained his horses in that style with the ability to carry the Vaquero spade bits.
Ulupalakua Ranch held annual Field Days for roping. These were in the open with no fences to keep the cattle from getting away. On the polo field, Whitey rode for the ranch polo team. Whitey persuaded E. H. K. Baldwin to allow him to build the Ulupalakua Ranch arena with help from other paniolos. He established the Ranch Rodeo Club and mentored the young paniolo in many events. Whitey competed in saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, calf roping and double mugging. Whitey died in 1973 from complications of pneumonia, after an accident on the Parker Ranch racetrack while training the horse of a local Waimea rancher.