Robert “Robby” Leighton Ulumaheihei Hind, III
Year Inducted: 2017
Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a Ranch | Hawai'i
McCandless
Ranch | Hawai'i
Parker Ranch | Hawai'i
Daleico Ranch | Hawai'i
Robby was born in 1948 in Hilo, Hawaiʻi and spent his first years on his family’s Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a Ranch in North Kona. In 1950 his father, Bobby, moved the family to Honomalino where he became manager for that section of Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a Ranch in South Kona. At Honomalino Robby attended Ala’e School, learned to ride and was introduced to the pipi āhiu (wild cattle). The Hind family sold the ranch in 1957 and Robby’s family moved to Ho‘okena in South Kona where his father took over management of the McCandless Ranch. Here Robby cut his teeth as a young paniolo working summers on the ranch. He learned to rope, handle both wild and tame cattle, break young horses, build fences, install water systems, doctor animals, hunt and fish. Robby gives credit to Alfred Medeiros, the foreman during this time for much of his education. After attending Ho‘okena School, Robby was sent to board for further education at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy in Waimea. He then went on to college on the mainland where he obtained a business degree from the University of the Pacific in 1971.
Upon his return, Robby became assistant manager at McCandless Ranch under Jack Midkiff and upon Jack’s retirement in 1980 took over as manager. At McCandless Ranch, he learned and practiced all aspects of the cattle industry. Starting with no infrastructure and 60,000 acres that ran from sea level to 8000-feet elevation, Robby helped create a working ranch. From his father’s tenure to his, constant improvements were made to the land. The area was fenced, roads were built, wild cattle caught and marketed, a water system installed, grasses planted, and tame cattle were introduced. By the time Robby left McCandless in 1984, the majority of grazeable land was finally under control. While at McCandless, he started a koa milling operation and created a valuable income resource for the ranch, while putting in place strict guidelines for how to harvest koa and also maintain a sustainable resource far into the future.
Parker Ranch approached Robby in the fall of 1984 to become their livestock manager. He travelled to Honolulu to meet with Parker’s trustees. A horse had fallen on him the week earlier breaking his leg. He showed up for his interview with crutches and a cast. Robby was a bit concerned that Parker trustees were not much impressed with his condition, but a week after returning home, he had the job but was told no more polo or rodeo for him!
At Parker, Robby’s responsibilities included all aspects relating to the Livestock Department with over 20,000 mother cows and 300 horses, the Water Department, and the Agronomy Department. This all represented a total of 200,000 acres with 70 employees. As Livestock Manager, Robby became a board member of the Hawaiʻi Meat Company, Parker Ranch’s marketing arm. At this time, all of Parker’s cattle were sent to Oʻahu for feeding at Hawaiian Milling Co. and processed at the abattoir on Middle Street. Eventually, Robby created a new marketing system that would return more to the ranch by sending these animals to Canada or the mainland and retaining ownership until marketed. That system is still in place today.
During this period at Parker Ranch, Robby also served as Chair for the Mauna Kea Soil and Water Conservation District, President of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Association, President of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council and is still a current member, Chairman of the Hawaii Beef Industry Council, president of the Hawaii Cattle Producer’s Cooperative Association. He is the past President and current board member of the Paniolo Preservation Society. Robby currently serves on the Parker Ranch, Inc. Board of Directors.
Robby retired from Parker Ranch in 2002 after 18 years of service leaving an operation with 22,000 cows and 300 horses and took over the reins of Daleico Ranch in South Point, Kaʻū, the ranch his father and mother created in the late 1950’s. Robby says that of all the resources he managed and experienced during his ranching career, the most rewarding one for him comes from a resource that is being honored here today, the paniolo. He has been honored to work with people so dedicated to the ʻāina and animals. He has learned more and had more joy with this cattleman's experience than any other that he’s been a part of over his lifetime.