2026 Paniolo Hall of Fame will induct 9 new members during a ceremony in Waikōloa
Inductees include a legendary cattleman who was celebrated in the 1990 song, “Hanohano Wale no na Cowboy.”
Nine people will be inducted into the Paniolo Hall of Fame on Nov. 14 during the Hawai`i Cattlemen’s Council Annual Convention.
More than 350 people are expected to attend the banquet and ceremony at the Waikōloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, a news release said.
Now in its 27th year, the Paniolo Hall of Fame has 184 members, both living and deceased, including the 2026 inductees.
Members are among the generations of cowboys who have contributed to cattle ranching across the islands and are selected through a nomination process.
The Hall of Fame was established by the Oʻahu Cattlemen’s Association in 1999 to recognize past and present paniolo who made the paniolo culture legendary and keep it alive today.
New inductees include John Kawānanakoa Lindsey, a famous Parker Ranch foreman who passed away nearly 80 years ago. Lindsey, who was born in 1873 in Waimea, was also known as Poko, Johnny and Keone Liʻiliʻ.
“His small stature was in stark contrast to his reputation, which has endured for more than 150 years of Parker Ranch history,” according to the Hall of Fame website. He died in 1947.
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s 1990 song, “Hanohano Wale no na Cowboy,” is a tribute to the legendary rancher. The Hawaiian phrase means “only the cowboys are celebrated” or “the cowboys are the only ones honored,” The song blends Hawaiian language with cowboy themes.
The 2026 inductees include:
- Manuel “Mac” Harding Andrade Sr.
- 1945
- Andrade Family Ranch/Andrade Cattle Operation, Kalaheo, Kaua’i
- Mark Phillip Conley
- 1957–2025
- Ponoholo Ranch, Hawaiʻi
- Jerry Yukio Egami
- 1949
- Egami Ranch, Daleico Ranch, Puʻuwaʻawaʻa Ranch, Hawaiʻi
- Gordon Kepano Kalaniopio
- 1960
- Hāna Ranch Maui, Parker Ranch, Hawaiʻi
- John Kawānanakoa Lindsey
- 1873–1947
- Parker Ranch, Hawaiʻi
- Sally H. Rice
- 1935
- Kahuku Ranch, Waiono Meadows, FR Quarterhorse Ranch, Hawaiʻi
- Earl Wayne Spence
- 1947–2024
- Kukaʻiau Ranch, Parker Ranch, Kahuku Ranch, Hawaiʻi
- William T. White III
- 1940
- Hale Kea Farms, Hawaiʻi
- George “Keoki” Gerard Wood
- 1960
- A Lazy B Ranch, SC Ranch, Parker Ranch, Hawaiʻi
The Paniolo Hall of Fame is on permanent display at the Paniolo Preservation Society’s museum at Pukalani Stables, Waimea. An oral history project features interviews with nearly 80 living members, capturing their life stories before they are lost to future generations.
For more information or to view inductee biographies and photos, visit Paniolo Hall of Fame.
