General News
3 August, 2022
Life membership for Darlington farmer
DARLINGTON’S Geoff Risbey has received an honorary life membership of the Victorian Corriedale Association after more than 60 years dedication to the industry.
DARLINGTON’S Geoff Risbey has received an honorary life membership of the Victorian Corriedale Association after more than 60 years dedication to the industry.
Mr Risbey said it was “a very emotional, humbling experience” to receive the recognition at the Bendigo Sheep Show last month.
The life membership was well earned as he has been involved with sheep for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve been producing sheep for probably 50 years, and I first showed sheep in Hamilton before the event was called Sheepvention,” Mr Risbey said.
“We started up Corriedale stud, and then I went in to Polwarth Stud and was president of the Polwarth Association for quite a few years.”
In 1992 Mr Risbey partnered with Nick Cole to purchase Stanbury Corriedale Stud, based near Geelong, and transferred operations to West Cloven Hills near Bookaar.
“I’d jackaroo’d down at Stanbury, I knew it pretty well, so I put a tender in with Nick Cole and we managed to get it,” he said.
“That’s where a lot of the sheep’s success has come from. I’ve also judged at most shows in Australia and won a lot of supreme champion sheep titles.
“I’m a life member of the Camperdown Pastoral and Agricultural Society, and I am on the committee, and we’re actually having our 150th show this year.
“So I’ve been involved in sheep breeding, genetics and showing of rams all my life.”
Mr Risbey said among the highlights of his success showing rams and lambs was a dominant victory around six years ago.
“I won every ram class at the Australian Sheep Show and also the champion interbreed long-wool ram, and he was only a lamb, which was quite an achievement,” he said.
“That was probably one of my most successful stories, and I thought why not slowly go out while I’m on top?
“So that’s what I’ve done. I’ve left my mark, but when I go to shows I still get asked for advice and I’ve been helping a couple of studs with their selection and presentation as well.”
Despite his personal success throughout his lengthy career, Mr Risbey said giving back to the community and supporting the younger generation had always been reward in itself.
“Seeing other breeders come up, when they used my genetics and used them to improve their stud was great,” he said.
“We’ve helped quite a few schools in supporting their agricultural programs.
“It is very rewarding to see the younger ones come up and ask for advice, and to help them along the way.
“We’re putting back in to it that way, not just taking out of it.”
