HUK Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Presented by the Holstein UK Board of Trustees, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognises at least twenty years of dedication and service to the Holstein and/or British Friesian breeds. The award is presented annually to an individual who has made a remarkable contribution to the Society and provided outstanding service to the breed.

With great pleasure, the Trustees presented the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award to Richard Beard, who has recently retired from the Society after having worked for them for four decades. Richard’s interest in British Friesians was ignited as a school boy, and led him to study at Askham Bryan College to complete a National Certificate in Agriculture. Richard learnt about Canadian Holstein imports while working with the Sharcombe herd which resulting in him emigrating to Canada at the age of 21, he also went on to live and work in the USA.

Whilst abroad, Richard wrote letters to the Holstein World magazine which were later published before the editor invited him to write a regular column. Richard wrote the page for over 10 years before it morphed into A Letter From Great Britain when he relocated back to the UK. Articles for many other publications were to follow and one of Richard’s favourites was Cremona: Where Stradivarius meets Starbuck, about the appearance of Starbuck daughters at the European Holstein Show, which was published in the Farmers Weekly in the mid 80’s.