FORMER Australian Superfine Woolgrowers Association president Kevin Dunn’s profound commitment to the fine wool industry meant one year, he could not put his rams out for joining.
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Superfine sheep and the wool they produce has been the dominant part of the fine wool producer’s life.
Mr Dunn became a lifetime member of the ASWGA during its annual conference in Hamilton this week.
“If you don’t put the rams out, life is a lot easier I can tell you,” Mr Dunn said.
The association’s president Simon Cameron said to make that decision about his farm for the ultimate benefit of the association and its members was a huge commitment.
“Kevin has always served with selfless expectation in any position held – this reinforces the quality of the man,” Mr Cameron said.
“His integrity, honesty and his love for family and superfine wool is what marks Kevin for the man he is.”
A renown wool classer, Mr Dunn, of Laharum, prepared the record-breaking Connorville clip.
This sold for $3070 a kilogram – a staggering $300,850 for a bale – in 1989 to Fujii Keori Limited of Japan.
His integrity, honesty and his love for family and superfine wool is what marks Kevin for the man he is.
- Simon Cameron
Mr Dunn is renowned in the Horsham area for the quality of his stock and the animal husbandry skills.
Mr Cameron said this skill had been the mantel of a professional superfine wool producer.
In 1932, Mr Dunn’s grandfather founded the Avondale flock and in 1938 his father Norman formed Avondale Hills stud on Saxon sheep.
Mr Dunn took over the direction of the stud in 1970s, and in 1971 was at a founding meeting of the superfine woolgrowers association.
This initiated more than three decades of services to the association at a regional level and 13 years dedicated to national positions.
That founding meeting was led by the late Arthur Beggs of Beaufort, where Mr Dunn’s first impression was of an “old boys club”, potentially harmful to future progress.
“I’ve lived to regret that plenty of times because it has made an enormous impact to the industry and superfine wool in general,” Mr Dunn said.
“That is why I kept getting deeper and deeper involved.
“May the wool industry and ASWGA prosper.”