Men and women alike, many wearing stetson hats, openly wept for the man who, as Laurie Latta from the New Zealand Rodeo Association said, "has left us too soon".
"His life was shorter than we would have liked it to be, but still, we are here to celebrate his life."
Mr Latta told the mourners he met Mr Church as a "talented, determined teenager".
"I always loved his attitude to life and to rodeo," he said.
One speaker said Mr Church was born with "warrior genes".
"Dion wasn't the first - it goes right back to his tupuna [ancestors].
"Many a champion came from this valley and you can be sure Dion won't be the last."
John Davies said he had known Mr Church since the pair were children.
Mr Davies said Mr Church was always destined to be in the rodeo.
"Even at the age of 12 he was riding bulls that the men wouldn't go near. He was always so positive and determined."
His nickname, he said, was "He-Man".
"He wasn't a big man, but he was built like a rock. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him."
He said Mr Church's death was a "complete shock", not just for his family but for the New Zealand rodeo community as well.
"It will be hard to go to rodeo without him. I can't even think about it."
Mr Davies said Mr Church "had an aura about him".
"I'm honoured to have known him: he was my best mate, my brother, my teacher.
"He was the king of New Zealand rodeo," Mr Davies said.
Koriniti men performed a ground-shaking haka for Mr Church before he was carried by his fellow cowboys and cowgirls up the hill to his final resting place.
While the service was conducted in brilliant spring sunshine, rain fell as Mr Church was taken to the graveyard. "The rain is falling for our brother," one mourner was heard to say.
Mr Church is survived by his wife, Christine, and four children.
