The Jones family of Beggan Hill Hereford Stud have a reputation for producing high quality Herefords. At the Royal Easter Show in 2015, they took home 4 first place ribbons, 5 second place ribbons and 1 Highly Commended, with three of their cattle champions in their respective divisions.
This week’s Local Legends will explore the origins and history of Beggan Hill, and the Jones family behind it.
The story of Beggan Hill Hereford Stud begins with Arthur Jones. Arthur was born in July 1921 in Grenfell, and was reared at his parents’ property of ‘Aroma’. Arthur’s father was the first farmer in the district to buy a tractor, and he was also the first to cut and bale subterranean clover for hay.
Arthur’s grandfather William, and William’s brother, Charles, originally farmed a small holding near Gunning, but William moved to Grenfell after the Sydney to Albury railway line bisected the property. William, always had at least one Hereford bull despite primarily being a sheep farmer.
Arthur left school to find work during the Depression, and worked as a Jackeroo on the Yarraglen Merino Stud near Grenfell. At a young age, Arthur became a wool classer, and was also a competition winning judge by 1937. He even started his own sheep stud, participating in local shows and winning the Champion Ewe ribbon at Grenfell in 1939 and Forbes in 1940.
Arthur enlisted in the Australian Army in August, 1942. He served in the 4th Australian Armoured Brigade upon discharge in 1946, however, he never left Australia.
In that same year, Arthur married Dorcas (Dot) Bird. Fortunately for the young couple, Arthur won a ballot for one of seven soldier settlement blocks south of Harden in 1947. The block that Arthur received was 295 ha, and was bare except for a hayshed and some fences around three paddocks. A stony hill was the main feature of the property, and due to the hill, and being part of the original Beggan Beggan station, the name Beggan Hill was formed.
Arthur initially carried on with sheep. He showed sheep locally and at Sydney into the early 1950s, winning two first prizes and claiming a championship and reserve championship in the Soldier Settler’s section.
Despite his success with sheep, Arthur knew that sheep farming was not his future. “Dad said that this country was too good for sheep,” said Arthur’s son, Harvey. Arthur was able to identify that Australia had a glut in sheep production, and always liking Herefords, he decided to switch his focus to cattle.
Arthur had already bought a Hereford in the late 1940s when he and his wife Dot started Beggan Hill Hereford Stud in 1952. Although they continued to run Merino and Dorset studs into the 1960s.
At the 1953 Royal Easter Show in Sydney, Arthur and Dot caused a stir by buying Ardno Corporal for 1000 Guineas. The purchase was a masterstroke. Ardno Corporal went on to sire growth calves until the age of 13, including the dams of three Sydney Royal Easter Show Grand Champions for Beggan Hill. Ardno Tartan, bought in 1962, also sired five Grand Champions, five Senior Champions, two Junior Champions and four Reserve and Junior Champions at Royal shows around the country.
The Royal Easter Show in Sydney has been a place of success for Beggan Hill Hereford Stud. In the first 30 years of showing there, beginning in 1962, Beggan Hill have only missed out on a ribbon in 2 years.
The excellence of Beggan Hill Stud’s product has seen high prices reached at sales. In 1981, Beggan Hill Anderson sold for $18,000. To put that into perspective the median house prices in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney in that year were $57,750, $44,000 and $78,900 respectively. Arthur’s motto says it all: “Feed a good Hereford and they will feed you.”
Arthur judged both sheep at cattle at shows around the country, including the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, the Royal Hobart show and at Australian Hereford Society-sponsored shows and sales at Glen Innes and Wodonga.
Arthur and Dot had four children: Alan, who used to operate his own Hereford stud, is now retired and living at Tweed Heads; Denise, who is farming in Western Australia; Greg, who now runs ‘Aroma’ in Grenfell, the original farm; Murray, who is still on the farm raising Herefords; and Harvey.
Harvey is now at the forefront of operations at Beggan Hill, and has participated in activities at the stud from a young age. Harvey fondly recalls riding on a horse and exploring the countryside with his father.
As a boy, Harvey led a calf at the Gundagai Show in 1967. The calf went on to become a Grand Champion later that year at the Royal Easter Show.
Harvey first went to the Royal Easter Show in Sydney in 1974 helping out his father, and won his first broad ribbon in 1977. In the last 41 years, he has only missed two Easter shows at the old showground, and the first event at the new showground now located at Homebush. In 41 years, Harvey has seen a lot of changes at the Royal Easter Show. “Sarah and Andrew do the registration online,” said Harvey, “which is different to the way I used to do it by post.”
Harvey and his wife Linda have three children, Laura, Sarah and Andrew. They have also grown up with cattle showing in their veins. When Laura was in Farm Club at Murrumburrah High School, she was a Champion Parader. When Hervey broke his hand in 2012, Andrew stepped up and led the Beggan Hill parade.
Beggan Hill Stud continues to be a family operation. Hervey’s daughter, Sarah, helps out with the bookwork and Andrew continues to be involved in operations at the stud.
In a more urban setting, Beggan Hill Stud has certainly left its mark. Beggan Hill has been involved in the Farm Club at Murrumburrah High School since it started over 20 years ago. The Farm Club has been an extremely successful initiative, promoting interest in agriculture and involvement in regional and Royal shows for Harden-Murrumburrah students. At the 2015 Royal Easter Show in Sydney, Gus Shea placed 1st in the 14 years division, whilst Jared Prosser and Taylah Phillis took out 3rd place ribbons in their age divisions.
“We have had kids come out and do traineeships,” said Hervey, about the Farm Club. “It gets the kids involved.”
In 1966, Beggan Hill showed a Hereford bull that won the Royal Easter Show Grand Champion title. The name of that bull was Beggan Hill Kingfisher.
In 2015, another Beggan Hill Kingfisher is on the rise. Beggan Hill Kingfisher won the Junior Champion Hereford Bull section at the 2015 Royal Easter Show, after winning Junior Champion Hereford Bull titles at the 2015 Gundagai, Boorowa, Yass and Canberra shows. It would be quite poignant then, if another Beggan Hill Kingfisher takes out the Grand Champion Hereford title 50 years later.
At the 2015 Royal Easter Show, Beggan Hill took out the Best Exhibitor Title. That title is not just recognition of the quality of the cattle that are produced by the stud, but it is an official acknowledgement of over three generations of hard work and excellence. Through the foresight of Alan and the hard work of his progeny, Beggan Hill Stud have put the Harden Shire on the map with the quality of their product and their contribution to agricultural education in the Twin Towns.
To Harvey & Linda, and all the Jones family involved at Beggan Hill, thank you for being Local Legends.
Photo taken in the early years: Arthur Jones, Greg Jones, Harvey Jones, Murray Jones and Alan Jones.
