National livestock contribution lauded with medal

Kojonup’s Kenrick Riley has been awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his service to the Australian livestock industry, spanning more than 50 years.

Dedicating his life to the stud Merino industry in Queensland, he started managing the Gowan Poll Merino in 1952 and went on to do so for 30 years. Under his management, Mr Riley said the stud became nationwide leaders.

“I managed a property, Australian estates and CSR, and it started off as a small out-station and grew into Australia’s biggest-selling poll Merino stud,” he said. “We had a tremendous amount of success, we won a lot of prizes and I was awarded the inaugural Queensland stud master of the year.” Mr Riley has held various roles at the Queensland Poll Merino Stud Sheep Breeders Association, including being a councillor for 19 years, vice-president for two years and president for three years.

Now aged 90, he said he had always loved the industry and viewed it as a hobby.

“I have been in the rural industry my whole life and my father managed a property in central Queensland, too,” he said.

“I always looked upon the fact that I had an exciting life.

“I love the small-town life.”

He retired to Kojonup, where his daughter was living, more than 20 years ago. In 2015, he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from the Rotary Club of Kojonup.