In recognition of their services, Honorary Life Members and Hall of Fame recipients are voted on by the Board to acknowledge the time, effort and knowledge given by individuals to improve the Australian Wagyu industry.
Peter Winkler
Peter Winkler is the founding member of the Australian Wagyu Association and served as the first President between 1989-1994.
Through Peter’s vision for Wagyu in Australia, the breed society has enabled the Australian Wagyu industry to grow domestically and internationally for both breeders and beef producers.
Keith Hammond
The Hammond family were one of the pioneers of the Australian Wagyu industry, establishing Robbins Island Wagyu on the remote northwest cape of Tasmania.
As the third president of the Association between 1997-1999, Keith Hammond was an active part of the Board for more than 10 years and the industry as a whole.
Bob Talbot
It was quickly evident to the Board that Bob Talbot’s business acumen and advertising expertise would be of enormous benefit to the Association.
Owning one of the largest advertising agencies in Australia at the time, Bob was more than capable of promoting Wagyu to great effect during his time on the Board and as President. While not an experienced breeder, Bob brought structure to the Association and provenance to the breed.
Nick and Vicki Sher
Nick and Vicki Sher have made significant on the ground contributions to the Australian Wagyu industry, establishing the first crossbred herd with Holsteins, the first airfreighted carton beef export and forging many new markets in the early years of the Association. We can also thank Vicki for her vision for Wagyu with the design of the AWA logo in the early 90s, which is still in use today.
Greg Gibbons
Greg Gibbons’ name goes hand in hand with Aronui feedlot, one of the first feedlots to accept Wagyu and Wagyu crossbred cattle for the industry.
Since 2002, Gibbo has worked tirelessly with the Wagyu industry to bring his extensive experience to feedlotting, breeding, performance and evaluation to improve the outcomes for breeders.
Dr Simon Coates
Dr Simon Coates is recognised for establishing one of the first Wagyu herds in Australia using imported Wagyu genetics from the US and Canada.
As the second president of the Association between 1994 – 1997, Simon oversaw substantial growth in membership and public awareness.
Arthur Dew
Arthur Dew’s Longford Station is well respected for its Fullbood production, producing some of the best Wagyu bulls in the country as well as a longstanding live export market with Japan.
An early pioneer in the industry, Arthur has a commitment to improving the genetics of the Australian herd.
Shogo Takeda Inducted 2015
A breeder of Japanese Black Wagyu cattle in Japan for more than 50 years, Shogo Takeda was instrumental in releasing Wagyu genetics to the world and revered by many in the Australian industry.
In his own words (translated from Japanese), ”I exported Wagyu to the USA and Australia just wanting people all over the world to have great marbling Wagyu. The members of the Australian Wagyu Association have spread Wagyu worldwide which helped my dream come true.”
Chris Walker Inducted 2015
Founder of Westholme Wagyu and one of the early importers of Wagyu into Australia. He surprised and maybe challenged some of the beliefs around the breed’s establishment outside Japan. In 1996 he exported 84 registered Fullblood females and three registered Fullblood sires and semen from three more, from Japan to the USA. The founding stock was selected for Fullblood production and a balance of prefectural genetics.
These animals produced embryos and semen for export to Westholme in Australia which developed into the world’s second-largest Fullblood Wagyu herd which was sold in its entirety to AACo in 2006.
Wally Rae Inducted 2017
Wally secured the Australian semen rights to the first Fullblood cattle that left Japan in the 1990s and was involved in early Fullblood breeding in Australia, with the first Australian-born Fullblood bull born at his property.
Lachie Hart Inducted 2018
Chief Executive Officer of Stockyard Beef, Lachie Hart was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018 in recognition of his contribution to the Australian Wagyu industry.
A family-owned business, Stockyard Beef is vertically integrated and one of Australia’s largest exporters of branded boxed Australian beef. Lachie has been a valuable member to the Board and served on many red meat industry councils including Australia Japan Business Cooperation, Red Meat Advisory Council and the Australia Japan FTA Taskforce.
Geoffrey Willet Inducted 2021
Maydan Feedlot, and its owner, Geoffrey Willett are synonymous with premium Wagyu and it is the mistakes and the lessons learned by Geoff, that many feedlots today have benefited from, around the country.
Starting from a humble four pens in 1984, Maydan feedlot went on to represent the very best of Wagyu feeding programs, with many of the early pioneers staying with the program until its sale in 2017, where it housed at least 77 pens of premium Wagyu cattle.
Peter Hughes Inducted 2022
Peter is of course, part of the dynamic duo that is Peter and Jane Hughes. Together with their sons Fred and Sam, and their families, they are instantly recognisable to us all. They are among the pioneers of our industry as well as leaders in current wave of consolidation and development of Australian pastoral properties.
The Hughes family owns Georgina Pastoral Co which originally operated around 100,000 head of cattle across three stations – which were Lake Nash on the Barkly Tableland in the Northern Territory, Caldervale near Tambo in Central Queensland and Keeroongooloo via Windorah in the Channel Country.
Since the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA) was first established, the Association and its members have made numerous contributions to developing the Wagyu industry under the leadership of various presidents. The AWA president works with the Executive Committee to set the strategic agenda for the Association.
Peter Winkler 1989 – 1994
Dr Simon Coates 1994 – 1997
Keith Hammond 1997 – 1999
Bob Talbot 1999 – 2002
Peter Bishop 2002 – 2005
Tony Fitzgerald 2005 – 2007
Rick Hunter 2007- 2010
Joe Grose 2010 – 2011
Scott Hughes 2011 – 2013
Scott de Bruin 2013 – 2015
Peter Gilmour 2015 – 2018
Chantal Winter 2018 – 2019
Mike Buchanan 2019 – 2020
Charles Perry 2020 – 2023
Laird Morgan 2023 – Present
In recognition of 25 years of continuous Australian Wagyu Association membership supporting, advancing and promoting Australian Wagyu. Thank you for your contributions.
2021
David and Julie Blackmore
Blackmore Wagyu
Keith and John Hammond
Island Wagyu (Hammond Farms)
Peter Winkler
Kobeef
Arthur and Esma Dupen
Lindan Wagyu
Simon Coates and The Coates Family
Sumo Pastoral Company
Nick and Vicki Sher
Sher Wagyu
David Warmoll and The Warmoll/Jack’s Creek Family
Jack’s Creek
2022
Mr Shogo Takeda
Takeda Farm
Craig Turnbull
Shepstone Park
Julie Ingram
FJ and JE Ingram Plains Wagyu
Brian and Coralie Schutt
Deepwater Holdings
Arthur and Pam Dew
Longford Station
Robin McCosker and the McCosker/Codenwarra Family
Codenwarra Wagyu
Ron Fitzgerald
Salisbury Wagyu
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Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information reported through AWA, AWA officers and employees assume no responsibility for its content, use or interpretation. AWA disclaims all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you may incur as a result of the use by you of the data on this AWA database and the information supplied by ABRI and AGBU being inaccurate or incomplete in any way for any reason.
Regarding EBVs and Index values, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:
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If you consider that you do not understand or appreciate the nature and extent of the data provided on this website or the EBVs of a particular animal, then AWA strongly recommends that you seek independent expert advice.