Phill Collins and his extended family were inducted into the hall with Legend status, decades after he and his late wife, Gwen, first led their livestock in shows around the country with consistent showing at Melbourne.
Seventeen members of the family attended the show on Saturday, October 5 to receive the award presented by Beef Cattle committee chair David Bolton.
Mr Bolton said entry into the Hall of Fame at Legend status was a significant honour.
“They are not handed out all the time,” Mr Bolton said.
“But this was a real no-brainer.
“It is when we think that someone or a family begins to be recognised from the point of view of contribution to the Beef Show and the Collins family has been showing for a long, long time and of course now it is the next generations taking it on.”
Mr Collins was awarded an Order of Australia in this year’s King’s Birthday honours for his services to the Lockington community and primary industry.
He has a long history of contributing to many committees for a range of community organisations, including the Lockington Football Club and CFA.
Mr and Mrs Collins travelled between the ‘big four’ mainland shows each year and on one occasion won Best in Show at 32 consecutive events.
Although the family primarily shows beef cattle, it has a history of also showing sheep and pigs.
Three of the family’s second generation continue the legacy: Graeme specialising in sheep and Peter showing Angus from his and wife Maria’s Merridale Angus stud as well as judging cattle.
Mr Bolton praised the next generations coming through the ring at the Melbourne Royal Show.
“We might be known as the ‘yes’ committee but we had to knock back some exhibitors this year,” Mr Bolton said.
“We need to let the young people have a go or we are not going to have any more shows.”
Mr Bolton shrugs off any criticism that the show has not changed for the better.
“We sometimes get told that the show is not what it used to be but people still like to catch up with like-minded people, even if it’s only once a year.
“The Collins (family) have certainly had a huge contribution to this over the years.”
