Rodeo legend Dion Church dies

Rodeo legend and 15-time New Zealand rodeo champion Dion Church has died.

Church, 44, from the Rerewhakaaitu and Turangi Church family, died on Friday morning. It has been reported he died of a heart attack.

He won all-round New Zealand rodeo champion title 15 times - a feat also achieved by his father, rodeo legend Merv Church.

A Dion Church tributes page has been set up on the New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys' Association website, a Facebook group called RIP Dion Church has also been started and a slideshow of photographs of Church on the rodeo circuit taken between 2006 and 2011 has been uploaded to video-sharing website YouTube.

New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys' Association president Marty Deans said Church, who had been sharing his talents with younger members of the rodeo fraternity, would be a major loss.

"It's a tragic loss to the rodeo community," Mr Deans said. "We all knew who Dion was."

The RIP Dion Church Facebook page, started at 5.20pm on Friday, has more than 230 members. Comments include: "We are saddened to hear of Dion's passing. A master of his craft, a man of integrity and a friend in Rodeo always"; "Rest in Peace Dion!!! Your presence and of course, your smile, will be missed at every rodeo this season, but your memory will be there for many, many years to come"; "Wow couldnt believe the news when i heard, not another great man lost. You will be remembered for your generocity and ur beautiful smile. A great man raised by great people"; and "r.i.p. Dion, Rodeo NZ has lost a talented all round cowboy and a gentleman, I always remember your smiling face, your willingness to help others. Gone, but will never be forgotten, my thoughts are with the Church whanau at this sad time".

A funeral for Church, who had been living in Palmerston in the South Island, was to take place at Koroniti Marae, Wanganui, this week.