Winsome Anderson is still in shock after she was announced the 2024 recipient of the Bette Hall Women in Dairy Award at International Dairy Week.
The award recognises the outstanding contribution of a female in the dairy industry and you certainly couldn’t look any further than 87-year-old Winsome to meet that criteria.
Born into a dairying family, Winsome’s love for cows, in particular Jerseys, began at a very young age with her family’s Lucerne Vale and Glenwyn studs.
She was quick to get in the ring showing cows, and that loved has extended over the generations of her family.
In fact, she recently watched her eight-year-old great-grandson (sixth generation) in the ring for the first time at IDW this year.
“The heifer he was leading was giving him a hard time and I was thinking from the sideline ‘just hang in there’ and he did such a great job,” Winsome said.
“I am very proud of my family and what they have done with the Jersey breed over the years.”
Winsome’s love of Jerseys has endured the generations, although she acknowledges there are many great cows in Australia today, no matter what colour their skin.
“IDW is such a great thing for the industry. I can remember in the early years standing out in the hot sun waiting to lead cows out into the ring; these days the facilities are amazing.”
In 1961, Winsome established King View Jersey Stud with her husband Bert.
King View was successful and well known across many local shows, fairs and, of course, the big one of the time — Royal Melbourne.
In 1976, Bert and Winsome imported bull Dreamer’s Margarethe Royal (D.M.R) from the island of Jersey.
Import restrictions meant he was sent to New Zealand where his semen was collected for the Australian and New Zealand market.
The couple went on to import two more bulls over time, which actually made it on to Australian soil after restrictions were lifted.
While there have been many, many Jersey cows bred over the years, Winsome’s favourite was 1976-born Kings View Linda 64th, affectionately known as Gina — the top lifetime production cow five years in a row at Royal Melbourne.
Gina’s last trip to Melbourne was as a 20-year-old when the Anderson family were honoured by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria for a centenary of continuously exhibiting Jerseys. Gina died at 24 and is buried on the Clyde property.
In 1987, Bert died unexpectedly and Winsome continued milking in the old conventional back-out dairy with 12 stalls and six milking units.
Two years later the herd was split between their three boys — Ian, Rob and Lindsay —with Ian taking on the Kings Lake prefix.
The dairy industry has given Winsome so many fond memories and connections over the years.
She attended every World Jersey Cattle Bureau conference from 1972 to 2018 and remains an active and valued member of the Central Gippsland Jersey Breeders Club and South Gippsland Club, and remains a strong supporter of youth programs and events.
On three occasions Winsome has visited Windsor Castle and she even met the queen in 1992.
She received a distinguished service award in 2021 for her ongoing promotion and support of Australian Jerseys along with the president’s medal from the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria in 1996 and the centenary medal in 2001.
Winsome has also established a museum at her home at Nar Nar Goon in Gippsland, with memorabilia including paper clippings, photos, herd books, show ribbons and antique dairy equipment on display.
She was inundated with well wishes from across the globe after receiving the Bette Hall award.
“I am honoured, stunned, speechless and very emotional to receive this award and it was such a shock.
“No-one in the family said anything, right down to the five-year-old who knew,” she laughed.
“There have been many ups and downs over the years but I remain proud to be a dairy farmer and proud of my family for continuing on the legacy over the years.”