Lt. Dick Ryan on Hatsushimo 1946

The American army had their very own rodeo expert, Lt. Joseph R. "Dick" Ryan. He had already organized two rodeos for the troops in Grafton and Brisbane, Australia, the year before. He was to do the same in Tokyo. While looking for horses for the rodeo, he found a white Arabian stallion in a secluded stables. He decided that he would use the horse in the rodeo. Newspapers jubilantly reported that Ryan was the first American to ride the Emperor’s stallion. Ryan reported that the horse was, "pretty playful, indicating that he had not been ridden for some time."

Army Rodeos were staged by Lt. Dick Ryan throughout the South Pacific. Many Rodeos were held for the entertainment of servicemen stationed in overseas bases--including Brisbane, Sydney, Grafton and Townsville, in Australia...Port Moresby, New Guinea; Hollandia, Dutch Indies and Manila...and a final victorious show in Tokyo on Armistice Day in 1945. Dick Ryan a Lieutenant in the United States Cavalry had an interesting and varied career. He was a circus rider, rodeo performer, Hollywood stunt man, motion picture double and finally the owner and producer of his own world famous rodeo and stunt show.