LIVING INDUCTEE
RAYMOND HUGH “RAINBOW” HILLMAN
DISTRICT 6 - YEAR 2025
Born in the Roundup, Montana, hospital in 1943, to Hugh and Anne (Miller) Hillman, and raised in nearby Musselshell, Raymond Hugh “Rainbow” Hillman grew up ranching and began breaking horses at the ripe age of 10 years old.
He went to grade school and high school in Musselshell where he became Valedictorian of his class of 1961 and went on to play college basketball in Havre, Montana. Before he left for college, he won the 1961 Montana High School Rodeo Association Calf Roping Championship. After playing college ball for one season, Rainbow soon realized hooping wasn’t for him and the ranch life was calling to him. So, back home he went to ranching, raising registered Charolais cattle with his father, and breaking horses for and with some of the greats like legendary Bob Shelhamer.
He also went back to rodeoing and increased his events from calf roping to include team roping and bull dogging. In 1967, he won the all-around title at Ryegate/Harlowton 3rd & 4th of July Rodeo. He also won the team roping with John Benson at the Northern Rodeo Association (NRA) finals in Malta, Montana.
During his rodeo career in 1966, he got his start for what he is probably most well-known for - picking up for contestants riding bucking horses and bulls. When NRA Stock Contractor Dale Small needed help at the Roundup College Rodeo, Rainbow was there. He went on to pick up at NRA rodeos for not only Dale, but Eddie Grebe and Rodney Newman. He also went on to work Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeos for Reg Kessler, Ike Sanke, and Marvin Brookman, where he picked up and assisted in the arena some of the greatest rodeo athletes in the history of the sport. Rainbow also had the honor of picking up at the 1986 Old Timer Finals in Texas with Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and great friend Kenny Clabaugh.
In the 1970s, Rainbow worked closely with Montana Cowboy Hall of Famer Billy Greenough, as well as some of his best traveling pards, Dean Newman, Howard Hawks, John Edwards, Wally Newman, and Walt Linderman, inspecting and working cattle for Oppenheimer Cattle Company.
Throughout his rodeo and ranching career, Rainbow also helped his father with his horse racing endeavors where he not only trained several race horses but was also an outrider for the Billings Empire Fair and Spring Meet.
Rainbow was an integral part of the startup of the Montana Youth Rodeo Association (YRA) with John Benson and Art Kincheloe where he mentored National Finals Rodeo (NFR) Champions Deb Greenough and Dan Mortenson.
He picked up 101 nights of rodeo in 1991, at the Billings Night Rodeo for NFR finalist, Larry Jordan.
In 1995, he became a founding member and assisted in the start of the well-known Chase Hawks Memorial Association. Rainbow had the honor of picking up many of the Chase Hawks annual rough stock events in late December. To him it was like picking up the last performance of the NFR as this event brought in all the talented NFR stock and cowboys from around the world.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Rainbow worked for various stock contractors such as Dennis Gifford and Larry Peabody, picking up at bucking horse sales, bull ridings, the Indian Crow Fair and Cody Night Rodeo, just to name a few.
In 2004, Rainbow was not only a horse wrangler of 500 head of horses for the major motion adventure film, Hildago, but he also put his “acting skills” to work as an extra, dressed in old miner clothing for a couple scenes.
In 2010, Rainbow brought rodeo back to Roundup, and went on to make it a well-known and sought after NRA rodeo. Rainbow took it to the next level with The Rodeo Roundup PRCA Rodeo established in 2020. Working closely with PRCA Stock Contractors Hank and John Franzen, they earned and were awarded best arena ground of the year in 2022 by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.
In 2013, Rainbow was recognized at the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame for his many accomplishments and contributions to our Western heritage and rodeo way of life.
In addition to pasturing, raising and working cattle, he often lent a hand to any neighbor in need throughout his life. Rainbow pastured well known PRCA bucking horses as well as bucking horses for rough stock contractors.
And last, but certainly not least, Rainbow is a solid family man. As a friend, uncle, cousin, dad, papa, stand-in dad, grandpa, and great papa, he is the rock, and always makes sure everyone has what they need. Rainbow is one phone call away whether someone seeks his wisdom or just a good dose of his uncanny wit.
To sum it up, Rainbow is known for his larger-than-life spirit and personality. He has never met a stranger he didn’t like. He absolutely loves the western way of life and has met a lot of people who have not only become great friends, but family as well. More often than not, Rainbow hears, “they just don’t make ‘em like you anymore, Cowboy.”