Bill Roycroft interviewed by Ian Jobling for the Sport oral history project [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 4348358
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Roycroft, Bill, 1915-2011, interviewee
- Online Access:
- National Library of Australia digital collection item.
- Access Conditions:
- Access open for research, personal copies and public use.
- Description:
-
- 2008
- 5 sound files (ca. 150 min.)
- Series:
- Sport oral history project.
- Summary:
-
William James "Bill" Roycroft talks about his early recollections of growing up in Victorian timber country; his memories of school days and sport; his siblings; his parents background; the Depression years; working around Yea, Vic. as a shearer and horse-breaker; managing a property after WWII; his war service in Darwin and New Guinea; his marriage to Mavis Jones, his children; being granted a soldier settlement property at Camperdown, establishing the property; aiming for selection in the 1960 Rome Olympics; the 1960 Rome Olympics equestrian team, preparing the horses; the Australian team success in England before the Olympics; Australia's strength in eventing and cross-country; the three-day event at the 1960 Rome Olympics, his description of the course; Brian Crago; Laurie Morgan; his fall in the cross-country; his ride on Our Solo, winning Olympic individual gold, silver and team gold; the reasons why Australia was so superior to other teams; the book, Our Solo: Bill Roycroft's Gold-Medal Horse/ Joan Palmer; his methods for developing horses for competition; show-jump training on the property; competing to win Olympic selection; attending five Olympics; his 20 years of international competition; his time in England and Ireland (1965); the Grand National course; the help received to look after the farm in his absences overseas.
Roycroft discusses the involvement of his sons Barry, Wayne and Clarke in national and international equestrian activities; training his horses with the next Olympic Games in mind; quarantine of his horses; Tokyo games (1964), his war service; Mexico Olympics (1968), acclimatising the horses to altitude; being selected as Australian flag-bearer at the Mexico City Games; Munich Olympic Games (1972); during the Munich athlete massacre; patrons for the Olympic equestrian teams, lack of government support; his last Olympics, Montreal (1976) (aged 61); the boycott by Australian equestrian team for the Moscow Olympic (1980); his horses, judging a horse, long working days; the financial commitment needed to compete; the changes brought about by professionalism; Jack Walsh; building up and expanding his properties for his sons; cities he visited; his roles after finishing Olympic competition, travelling on the Olympic train (1996); the significance to him of the Olympics; his participation in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games opening ceremony; the equestrian performances at Sydney Olympics; Government funding of equestrian sport; the injuries he has suffered; his fall at the Rome Olympics; family support; Clive Cochrane; Julius ‘Judy’ Patching; honours and awards; losses by family members in the 2009 Victorian bushfires; his medals; the highlights of his life; the Olympic careers of sons Barry and Wayne; being an Australian; his ancestry.
- Notes:
-
- Missing audio content from the first interview session has been re-recorded during a second interview session on sound files 4 and 5.
- Recorded on March 14, 2008 and February 21, 2009 in Camperdown, Vic.
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Timed summary (8 p.) and uncorrected transcript (typescript, 125 leaves) available.
- Subject:
- Occupation:
- Equestrians
- Other authors/contributors:
- Jobling, Ian F, interviewer
- Related Records:
-
This belongs to the Sport oral history project.
This collection contains 93 records. - Copyright:
-
In Copyright
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- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2078 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2008
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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