It was a bittersweet string of victories for Central Tilba’s Lucas family as a swag of Bega Show awards coincides with the end of a farming era for the family.
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“They could have six legs and two heads and they’d still all be beautiful to me,” an emotional Robyn Lucas said as her cattle took the top prizes on Friday.
Along with her son Charles, the 54-year-old’s dairy cattle took out the prestigious supreme champion award with her Illawarra Sherringham Petition Wanda, as well as best udder, and reserve champion and runner-up best udder for their Holstein breed.
“My son has worked full-time with me and this breeding is the result of all his hard work,” Ms Lucas said.
“It’s great to finally win, but after 15 years we won’t be milking cows any more.”
The family’s array of ribbons will be their last, after the lease from their farming property was not renewed, and all but a few of their cattle sold at auction recently.
“It’s bloody devastating, I’m just gutted,” Ms Lucas said.
“I’m a fifth generation farmer, my son is sixth generation and our family’s been farming that land for 120 years.”
She said the key to breeding her award winning cattle was “luck”, years studying genetic traits and a “good eye”.
“It’s about having the eye and knowing what to put with what, it’s about having a wide eye,” she said.
“The really good breeder has an eye for it, and Tony and Rocky Allen have it.
“You don’t always see red cows as supreme champion so it’s special.”
Ms Lucas said she will miss working closely with both Bega Cheese and Narooma High School where she has run a program for children most at risk of slipping through the cracks.
“We went to a Bega Cheese suppliers meeting and Barry Irvin said I could still come along because I was part of the furniture,” she said with a smile.
Her work with the local high school through the Cows Create Careers program has given students a new perspective on learning.
“It’s just extraordinary because it keeps them off the streets and gives them another avenue because not all kids go to uni,” she said.
“Around the animals there’s no competition, it just allows them to be.
“If you get them out of the classroom and show them things other than computers, they love it.”
Ms Lucas donated the sale of two of her cattle to the high school.
“Because it was such a sad day all the registered bidders went into a hat and then got a $1500 credit on their bill for the day,” her partner Tony Smith said.
“Just because she’s the kind of person she is, and she loves the industry.”
Ms Lucas said the farming community supported her through the difficult journey and paid top dollar for her animals at the auction.
