Family flocks to honour Richard

Born a century ago, former Corriedale stud breeder Richard Trigwell celebrated the milestone last week surrounded by his wife of 74 years and family.

Richard, who lives in Boyup Brook, grew up on Haddleton Farm in Dinninup, where his father Walter started a Corriedale stud.

He carried on the stud and was president of the Corriedale Stud Breeders Association for more than 20 years.

Richard was also a regular at the Dinninup Agricultural Show for 90 years. The show held special memories because it was there he met his wife Brenda, now aged 97.

The couple married July 11, 1937.

“We worked on my family’s orchard and dairy in Bridgetown, ” Brenda said.

“Then, in Dinninup, we had sheep and cattle.”

Their three children, Anne, Rodney and John, grew up on the farm, on the Blackwood River. Anne said even though her father had lived a century, his mind was still young.

He has lived through floods, droughts and losses, he’s a strong man, ” she said.

Anne said Richard still drove his gopher up to the nursing home to play pool with his mates.

Richard said he could still remember when his father brought home some Corriedales by horse and cart.

“The sheep were bought off the Pederick family, from Wagin, ” he said.

“I ran the stud for 20 years and we used to get 50 to 120 pounds for a sheep in the 1970s.”

Richard said he liked the Corriedales because they were a dual-purpose sheep.

“After the war, the Corriedale wool was only 2 cents under Merino wool, about $102c/kg, ” he said.

Richard said he didn’t like the new sheep breeds coming into Australia.

“If you mix coloured fibre with good white wool, it’s fatal for the price of the bale, ” he said.

Richard has judged at eight country shows, including Wagin Woolorama and the Perth Royal Show.