Royal Agriculture Society of WA welcomes livestock and live export pioneer Kathleen Lovelock to Hall of Fame

Brahman cattle and live export pioneer Kathleen Lovelock of Canterbury Brahmans Stud is the latest inductee into the Royal Agricultural Society of WA Hall of Fame in recognition of her life’s work in agriculture. The 81-year-old said she was honoured by the unexpected recognition that was a “complete surprise” for her. “I don’t have the gift of the gab, but I have always been a solid worker — this important induction to the Agricultural Hall of Fame has come as a complete surprise, and I think all those who worked so hard as referees for this nomination,” Mrs Lovelock said. “I initially started as an exhibitor at Perth Royal Show in 1975 and country regional shows with our Brahman cattle, proudly displaying our cattle to the world.” Mrs Lovelock and her husband, David Lovelock, founded Canterbury Brahman Stud in New Norcia in 1972. Her work as an exhibitor at agricultural shows led to voluntary work with RASWA coordinating cattle judging and running junior cattle judging and paraders competitions. “It was my keen interest to help the youth gain experience in this field,” Mrs Lovelock said. “Originally, my start was to help promote the Brahman breed, which was new to the industry, and by being present I felt people would relate to the Brahman in me.” Mrs Lovelock was a volunteer with RASWA for 34 years and, during that time, was also president and promotions officer of the United Beef Breeders Association of WA. She was “keenly” involved in promoting the Brahman breed in WA’s pastoral areas, the Kimberley, and the Pilbara, by holding Don’t Miss the Boat competitions at bull sales in 1988, involving Indonesia buyers as judges and educating producers on Brahman’s and cross breed cattle. The competition promoted the breeds hardiness to heat, disease and tick resistance, and contribution to hybrid vigour. Animal health and welfare was close to Mrs Lovelock’s heart, which she brought to the table when she represented the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia and the WA cattle industry on the Cattle Council of Australia committee for Animal Health, Welfare and Biosecurity. “As a female breeder, I was able to bring to the committee a unique way of looking at things which made a difference to some of the outcomes,” she said. Mrs Lovelock and Mr Lovelock contracted Q fever in 1995 they believe while visiting goat breeding sheds in Borneo, leading to the pair developing heart disease. In 2015 cattle became a physical part of her when, needing a heart valve replacement but having an allergy to pigs, led to research in California and a solution to create a valve from cattle originating in Queensland. Mrs Lovelock has been a life member of the Australian Brahman Breeders Association since 2012.