FOR any stud principal to receive life membership to their breed's association is a huge achievement, but to be the second generation in your family to be bestowed the honour makes it doubly special.
At this year’s show Leslie Brewer, Radstock, Strathalbyn, received Australian Romney Association life membership.
Her mother, the late Helen Brewer, received the same honour in 2011.
Leslie was awarded the life membership from Australian Stud Sheep Breeders Association federal president Gavin Wall.
Mr Wall is also the Australian Romney Association federal president.
“Leslie has not just enjoyed showing, she loves it with a passion,” Mr Wall said.
“Promoting the Romney all across the state at country shows, and nationally, has been one of her great pleasures.
“Showing, even when there are no other Romney exhibitors, has not deterred her. She is focused on keeping the Romney breed before the public and reminding them of their unique dual-purpose meat and wool attributes, foot-rot resistance and general hardiness.”
Remarkably, this year was the 60th Royal Adelaide Show Leslie has attended.
“I’ve never missed a show,” she said.
The Radstock stud first started showing at Adelaide in 1963.
“To me, showing is all about promoting the Romney breed and always has been,” she said.
This was a lesson imparted to Leslie at an early age by her mother.
In Radstock’s first Royal Adelaide Show the stud won champion ram and Leslie was asked to have her photograph taken with the sire.
Aged only six at the time, Leslie was not quite strong enough to hold the ram, but her mother encouraged her, saying “you promote the Romney as much as you can and remember it is all about the Romney.”
“It’s been a huge privilege growing up in the stud world,” she said.
“It’s never been something I’ve had to do, it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do.”
As well as exhibiting not only at Adelaide but also a huge range of country shows including Port Elliot, Yankalilla, Murray Bridge and Angaston, she has also judged for many years.
“My first time judging was when I was 22, at the Angaston Show, when I judged the long and short wools,” she said.
Since then, she has judged across Australia, including at the Ekka this year.
This year was also Leslie’s 37th stewarding at Adelaide.
“I just love the atmosphere of the show and catching up with people you only see once a year,” she said.
After health battles in recent years, Leslie said her love of Romneys helped pull her through tough times.
“When I was having a hard day, I’d go out to the paddock and just being with the Romneys lifted my spirits so much,” she said.
“If you love what you’re doing, keep doing it, because that’s the thing that will keep you going when life gets tough.”
