t u sHEREFORDS

Development Board, the Australian Sheep Breeders Association, Victorian Stud Merino Sheep Breeders Association and clocked up 60 years of service with the Country Fire Association.

Geoff was awarded an OAM in 2006 for his services to the sheep and wool industry and local government. He was the driving force to save the Australian Sheep and Wool Show and its relocation from Melbourne to Bendigo.

Geoff was also awarded a life membership of Herefords Australia. He died on April 7 and a public memorial service was held at Bowmont on April 18, 2023.

He is survived by his wife Leonie and children Craig, Scott, Kim, Libby, Sam and Richard, and 20 grandchildren.

Vale - Jeremy John Upton

Hundreds of mourners from the Hereford industry gathered at Dunkeld on January 30 for a memorial service to pay tribute to agricultural icon, cattleman, family man, avid cyclist and passionate rugby supporter Jeremy Upton.

Born on November 2, 1961, Jeremy served for 30 years as general manager of the famed Yarram Park Hereford stud, Willaura, Victoria, and its commercial arm, Western Districts Pastoral Company, before passing on January 16, 2023.

He grew up at Moree with older brother Simon before attending the Kings School in Sydney.

Jeremy graduated in 1984 with a Diploma of Farm Business Management with honours in agricultural and business management from Marcus Oldham College, winning the Marcus Oldham Graduate Excellence Award and Leadership Course Graduate.

Jeremy was a Churchill Fellowship recipient to study quality assurance and marketing of livestock and was a member of the Victorian Churchill Fellowship Board. He was appointed to the position at the Baillieu family’s Western District Pastoral in 1992.

Jeremy had received the Rural Press Landcare Primary Producer Award and the Beef Improvement Association Certificate of Excellence.

New Zealand Hereford breeder John McKerchar, Shrimpton’s Hill Herefords, South Canterbury, spoke at the memorial service of ringing Jeremy after reading about an impressive Yarram Park bull in the Herefords Australia magazine.

John found Jeremy “so helpful and accommodating” while negotiating the New Zealand semen rights. It took another three years for the two men to meet at the Herefords Australia National Sale Wodonga where Jeremy was looking after a team of bulls and John was visiting

Vale - John Robert Higgins

Long-time Hereford breeder John Higgins passed away at the age of 94 years on March 17, 2023, and will be remembered as a great cattleman, horseman and family man with a optimistic attitude to life.

John Robert Higgins was born on January 28, 1929, the second child of Herbert (HT) and Arline Higgins of Curracabark, Gloucester, and brother to Margaret, James (known as Jim) and Elizabeth. John was to spend most of his life working and living at Curracabark, a property he loved.

In 1950, the Curracabark Hereford Stud was started by HT Higgins with the purchase of some Colly Creek Estate cows and a Hobartville bull from ES Roundtree with the first calf registered in 1951. In 1952 cows from White’s Timor Stud were added. In 1953 John and Jim started their own stud, Faulkland. The aim of the studs was to breed bulls for their commercial herd however showing and selling bulls soon became part of the operation.

Amongst the Faulkland stud triumphs over the years was the Junior Champion bull Faulkland Watchman at the Sydney RAS in 1983, selling for the top price of $34,000 to the Invernaion Stud, Queensland.

In 2005 Faulkland Hamilton was awarded grand champion Hereford bull at the Sydney RAS and went on to win grand champion and sell for the top price of $46,000 at the Wodonga National Hereford Show and Sale. The following year Faulkland Legion was awarded reserve junior champion bull and sold at the Wodonga sale for $23,000.

In 1958, the stud sold at the first Gloucester Bull Sale and continued to sell their commercial bulls there until 2011 (when from New Zealand.

“I rang a number of Hereford breeders on both sides of the Tasman and the common theme was he was a highly regarded cattleman, just a great bloke and Yarram Park Hereford stud wouldn’t be what it is without him.

John said he often sought advice from Jeremy, respecting his honesty and positivity.

“Jeremy was very proud of his family and a passionate rugby supporter.

“Liz and I feel privileged to breed Hereford cattle as we have met some wonderful people, especially Australians, and at the top of the list was Jeremy.” on-property sales began) regularly achieving amongst the top price and selling bulls across northern NSW.

Jeremy is survived by his wife Jenny, children Tom and Georgie, and was father-in-law to Anna and John.

The showring success and the reputation of their bulls in the commercial industry led to invitations to John and Jim to judge around the state, Royal Shows and Hereford feature shows.

In 1977, John judged the Herefords at the Royal Brisbane Show and in 1978 at Melbourne Royal, the National Hereford Show and Sale at Wodonga. In 1990 he and wife Patsy travelled to England where he judged the Herefords at the Three Counties Show. Following the UK visit, they then flew to Canada to visit Hereford studs in Alberta.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Patsy, and children John, Andrew, Kathy Cary and Anna Moncrieff, and 18 grandchildren, five great grandchildren and his sisters Marg Boydell and Liz Harris.