In the sports world, Vince Lombardi and John Wooden were legendary coaches who emphasized mastering the fundamentals. In the dairy industry, Arthur Klussendorf, Curtis Clark, John Dennison and Lex Bunn were some of the most respected showman and dairymen of their days for their ability, sportsmanship, and dedication to the dairy cow. To be recognized as a winner of any of these awards is a lifelong goal for many, but few have achieved. At this year’s International Dairy Week, the Lex Bunn Award was presented to Matt Templeton of View-Fort Holsteins & Jerseys of Victoria, Australia. For those who know and have worked with Matt, this honor comes as no surprise, as he has dedicated his life to the dairy cow and continues to set an example for many in dealing with life’s challenges head on and not backing down in the face of adversity.
Matt grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Nar Nar Goon and began at a young age fitting cattle and working at the shows. He attended IDW yearly, helping strings and met several fitters from North America during that time. Because of them, he was eager to travel abroad as well. In 2001, 18-year-old Matt won the IDW Youth Ambassador Award and booked his flight to North America with the award money. Matt was probably the first Australian to truly make a career of fitting cattle, being on the road nine months of the year for nearly 15 years.
He worked internationally for some of the best herds in the business, preparing countless Expo, Royal, and European winners. “A cow I really enjoyed getting ready and learned a lot from was Penlow Georgette Outside. She was just a cow that loved to eat. Whatever you put in front of her, she would eat. And she had a beautiful rib structure for her time,” Matt recalled. “I first met Gerald Coughlin in 2003, and he’s been so good to me and has a heart of gold. He never did anything fancy – he had a hose, buckets and hay. It was all about the cow and how she behaved. I was able to be at Trent Valley when he owned cows like Georgette Outside and Terrason Allie. He just taught me so much about the basics and keeping it simple.”
Matt continued, “Another cow was Tahora Goldwyn Toni in New Zealand. The way that cow was made and how easy she was to work with and get ready puts her in my top 5.” “I also had the privilege of working with {RF} Goldwyn Hailey the year she was Supreme at World Dairy Expo, under the care of Budjon Farms.”
Attending IDW was always a priority for Matt and over the years, he’s exhibited and fitted numerous champions. “The cows from home all have a soft spot too,” Matt offered. One of his favorites was Fairvale Morty Lady 51, a 2X IDW Supreme Champion and the first Holstein to classify EX-97 in Australia. She was owned with Lisa & Willy McCay and Lindsay & Sandra Thompson. Another favorite was Avonlea Reginald Jacobinia (EX-91-2E), Supreme Champion in 2020, and bred & owned Supreme Champion View Fort Dictator Dottie (EX-93-3E).
Matt also credits a few special people for his overseas experiences. ”Tom & Kelli Cull from Budjon Farms – I really admire just they way they have evolved their business from when I first was around over the last 25 years. Not only are they still breeding tremendous cows, but creating a ‘franchise’ with their boarding program, and opportunities for other breeders and people who don’t necessarily have their own farms. That business model and structure are second-to-none. I worked for them a long time. Tommy is one of the best ‘cowman’ I’ve had the pleasure to work with and he’s taught me a lot.”
“When it came to the fitting and clipping side of things, Joel Kietzman was a massive influence. When I first went over to America, we were on the road together for six months together. We went to every district show, small sale, it didn’t matter. ‘Kietz’ didn’t need to prove himself, every week we’d be clipping somewhere, and that definitely taught me a lot about getting hair off and working with cows. He’s become a great friend and it doesn’t matter how long we between talking. I don’t think anyone will ever surpass ‘Kietz’ in the fitting world.”
“Nathan Thomas and Pat Conroy were fitters when I first started overseas too. To be able to work with them was a great experience, and I’d call them friends today. It’s really just a great industry to be in.”
While Matt was traveling internationally, his roots would always be planted firmly in Australia. He met Nicola Paulger at the shows and they were married in November 2018. While Nicola’s family operated Adadale Jerseys and Holsteins in Queensland, she made the 2200 km move and she and Matt partnered with his parents, Bruce and Jan, on their farm in Victoria. In 2024, Matt and Nicola expanded their operation and purchased a new farm in Dixie, Victoria, where they milk 350 cows with 600 head on the farm.
“Our breeding goals are like many others around the world,” commented Matt. “It’s just a functional dairy cow. We try not to concentrate on the extremes anymore, especially now that genetics have come along way. We look for a cow that suites our system, which means they can walk, because we still have cows out on pasture for grazing, they have a nice foot angle and rump structure. I think it all goes hand-in-hand. Dad always said to concentrate on the average of the family, that’s when you can have good ones come through.”
And Matt and Nicola have certainly had many “good ones” come through. They exhibited the Holstein Grand Champion at IDW in 2020, 2022 & 2025. In addition, they had eight View-Fort bred animals place in the top 10 and they exhibited 5 milk cows in the top 3 at this year’s show. Having success at the shows isn’t possible without putting the work in at home, however. “Feeding is a big thing when it comes to developing animals. It’s not just one day of the year. It can start when they are born. You just have to find the program that fits,” Matt remarked. “For us, its just consistency, doing it every day, making sure they don’t miss a day here or there, to try and develop the cow the best you can, and that’s the model we work with.” At the shows, they try and keep it simple. “Every cow has her own needs, and figuring out what she needs to reach full potential is just part of the game, and you need to work that out for yourself.”
The View Fort show team is certainly no stranger to the blue ribbons or purple banners, having exhibited three Grand Champions and two Reserve Champions over the last five years, but Matt and Nicola are still humbled by the success they have garnered. “Just to be able to win with our cows is very special. We’ve worked hard for it but you still have to have everything fall the right way. There’s only one judge on the day.” Two of those champions are homebred, so they are bit more special to Matt and Nicola.
This year’s Grand Champion, View Fort Lambda Butter (VG-88), was the winning junior 3-year-old and is owned in partnership with Avonlea Holsteins. She is backed by 11/12 generations of VG/EX dams. The Reserve Senior Champion, Fairvale Solomon Melody 897 (EX-92-2E), hails from the tremendous Fairvale herd that was dispersed in 2017. “These are the kind of cows that we want to breed from. We’ve gone forward the last few years, just the way they are made, they are on a level up with the previous cows that have won.”
While the show team and dairy at home have always been the focus, Matt and Nicola have had to face serious health issues in the meantime. Matt was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer just a few months after they were married, and the battle has been arduous. Friends and family have been at the forefront of the battle, either helping on the dairy, or helping with their two young daughters, Geri & Harlie. In November 2024, the Australian dairy industry rallied behind Matt and Nicola and strongly supported the Victories of View Fort Sale, which averaged $8425 AUD on 74 lots. View Fort Lambda Dottie sold to Glomar Holsteins & Amy Stringer for $26,000, and she is a daughter of IDW Supreme Champion View Fort Dictator Dottie (EX-93 3E). Grand Champion of the 2025 Youth Show, View Fort Tatoo Pink, exhibited by Shae Tweddle, also sold through the sale, and placed 2nd in the junior 2-year-old class during the open show. View Fort Hanky Panky also sold through the sale and was named HM Junior Champion for her new owner, Darren Crawford, at IDW. She is a granddaughter of All-American T-Triple-T Dundee Paige (EX-96). View Fort Jagger Satin was sold earlier in the year to the partnership of Salmon, Patten & Moscript, and she placed 2nd to Lambda Butter and took home Reserve Intermediate Champion honors as well. “We said we were going to sell our best during the sale, so it was really great to see our prefix represented so strongly at this year’s IDW.” View Fort also had the winning breeder’s group at the show, another testament to their tremendous outing!
Even with the selling many of their show prospects, Matt is excited about several others that are still on the farm today. Dictator Dottie has a VG-88 High Octane daughter that’s breeding well that they hope to see more daughters develop from. Avonlea Reginald Jacobonia (EX-91 94-MS), Supreme at IDW in 2020, has a promising VG-87 Delta-Lambda daughter that they are breeding from as well. Descendants of Avonlea Robthom Connie 2 (EX-93 3E), IDW Supreme Champion in 2009, and Morty Lady, are also numerous on the farm. “At the end of the day, you still have to have strong cow families to have that sort of success,” Matt added.
Matt’s accomplishments reach beyond the show ring. He has garnered an impressive judging career that includes the Ontario Summer Show, World Dairy Expo, and numerous Royal Shows across Australia and New Zealand. He was also the first Australian to judge at the Wisconsin Championship Holstein and Jersey Shows and the first to be on the All-American voting panel. He has also served as the Overall Judge for the Australia-Wide On Farm Competition and the All-Australian Photographic Competition.
Most recently, Matt had the honor of judging the National Jersey Show at IDW, in which he remarked throughout the show was one of the finest Jersey shows ever at IDW, with the top cows being able to compete anywhere in the world. “Being a judge here was a dream come true,” Matt commented. “I’ve had the privilege of judging internationally, but to be asked to judge in your home country for the National Show, and a show I’ve been coming to for nearly 30 years, is very special. To be able to place the cattle in front of my peers and people I’ve looked up to my whole life has certainly been an honor. I’ve been judging since I was 16, and to work your way up to this, it’s the pinnacle.”
Matt’s health struggles were also the driving force in getting the show team to this year’s IDW. “Showing isn’t a hobby or a holiday for Nicola and me,” remarked Matt. “It’s a part of our business. For me to have the opportunity to judge and still show our Holsteins was definitely a driver the last few months.”
At the conclusion of the Jersey show, IDW co-founder Brian Leslie, took the mic and spoke of a young boy who had attended IDW for years and built an internationally known fitting and judging career along with a tremendous herd of cattle. It didn’t take long for the crowd to gather that Brian was speaking of Matt, and soon he presented him with the Lex Bunn Award. “It’s something I would literally never think of receiving,” Matt said. “Lex used to supply all the hay for IDW, and he’s made some of the best hay I’ve ever seen, and he was quite the showman with his Ayrshires from what I’ve been told, so to be recognized with his award is quite an honor.”
“I don’t think it matters what you want to do in life. Whether it’s judging a local show, be Champion at IDW, or whatever it is in athletics or the like, unless you have the right mindset and the ‘get up and go’ to work hard, I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Matt emphasized. Matt and Nicola are looking towards the future, whether with another sale in a few years, or new business ventures with their farm. “If you’re standing still, you’re not moving forward.”
By Julie Ashton
