Kilmore regular Norm Severs was awarded Life Membership for his service to the Victorian Yard Utility Farm Dog Association, VYUFDA, at its annual general meeting.
Presented at Darraweit Guim Memorial Hall earlier this month, the Life Membership is a plaque that is not awarded lightly, handed to VYUFDA members who have contributed to the association that affiliates in competing, judging and organising yard dog and utility trials across Australia.
Mr Severs said he was ‘honoured’ to receive the life membership.
The championship judge has been part of the association for almost 20 years, making the most of his time judging trials across Australia, such as utility trials – the best type of trials for Mr Severs as it’s a combination of paddock and yard work.
Mr Severs said he still enjoyed every trial like it was his first.
“Judging has been a passion for a while now,” he said.
“I like seeing competitors and their dogs doing well and showing how great they are.
“It’s great to judge all the big championship’s where you judge the best in the country, but it’s also great to judge the smaller trials at Heathcote, Seymour, Mia Mia.”
VYUFDA has the authority to accept, maintain and promote judges to its list of judges and their level of accreditation that includes novice, open and championship.
Mr Severs said it took a lot of judging over the years to be a championship judge.
“A lot of judging – so what happens is you do X amount of time and there’s a board that looks at you and may grade you and elevate you in from novice, open, championships … ,” he said.
While judging is his passion, Mr Severs first started in the agricultural sport through trialling his own sheep dogs during the 1990s but then decided to judge to stay in contact with the VYUFDA.
“It’s like referees, there’s not a lot of them … I was backing off from trialling, so I thought to stay with the group and to be able to help out, I’d judge – that’s why I started judging,” he said.
Mr Severs said he would keep at it with judging and was searching for land in Kilmore to be more central to his passion when travelling.
