Dairy legend Matt Templeton of View-Fort Holsteins & Jerseys passed away last night, leaving an indelible mark on the industry. From champion dairyman to respected judge, his journey inspired many. Despite battling cancer, Matt’s passion never wavered. His legacy lives on in the cows he loved and the lives he touched.
The global dairy community mourns the passing of Matt Templeton of View-Fort Holsteins & Jerseys, Victoria, Australia, who succumbed to cancer on February 19, 2025. A recipient of the prestigious Lex Bunn Award at the 2025 International Dairy Week (IDW), Matt’s life embodied the intersection of agricultural artistry, genetic mastery, and unyielding perseverance. From his beginnings as a teenage cattle fitter to his status as an internationally revered judge, Templeton redefined Australian dairy competitiveness while facing personal trials with a resolve that inspired peers across six continents.
The Craftsman’s Journey: From Nar Nar Goon to Global Recognition
Matt Templeton’s odyssey began on his family’s Nar Nar Goon farm, where he honed an almost surgical precision in cattle fitting. This skill would later see him spend nine months annually abroad, working with elite herds. His 2001 IDW Youth Ambassador Award funded a transformative North American apprenticeship under legends like Gerald Coughlin, who emphasized simplicity: “A great cow needs no theatrics—just hay, water, and respect for her structure”. Templeton’s career as Australia’s first full-time professional cattle fitter saw him prepare icons like World Dairy Expo Supreme Champion {RF} Goldwyn Hailey and New Zealand’s Tahora Goldwyn Toni, animals he described as “teachers in bovine form”.
View-Fort: A Dynasty Built on Genetic Vision and Resilience
Templeton partnered with wife Nicola Paulger—a third-generation Jersey breeder—to transform View-Fort into a Holstein-Jersey powerhouse. Their 350-cow Dixie operation balanced pasture resilience with showring glamour, achieving triple IDW Holstein Grand Championships (2020, 2022, 2025) and the 2025 Reserve Senior Champion Fairvale Solomon Melody 897 (EX-92-2E). The November 2024 “Victories of View Fort” sale, averaging AUD 8,425 across 74 lots, exemplified their ethos: “Sell your best to lift the entire industry”. Highlights included the $26,000 sale of View Fort Lambda Dottie, a daughter of EX-93 matriarch Dictator Dottie, and HM Junior Champion View Fort Hanky Panky.
The Lex Bunn Award: A Testament to Quiet Leadership
Brian Leslie’s presentation of the 2025 Lex Bunn Award underscored Templeton’s duality as both craftsman and community pillar. The honor, voted on by prior recipients, recognized Templeton’s 30-year IDW involvement, his international judging portfolio (including Wisconsin’s Championship Holstein/Jersey Shows), and his mentorship of youth exhibitors like Shae Tweddle, whose 2025 Youth Show Grand Champion View Fort Tatoo Pink sold through the Victories sale. Leslie’s tribute—“Matt doesn’t seek recognition; he earns it through relentless service”—captured the essence of a man who judged IDW’s National Jersey Show days before his passing, declaring it “the strongest Jersey lineup in Southern Hemisphere history”.
A Battle Fought with Udder Determination
Diagnosed with aggressive gastric cancer weeks after his 2018 wedding, Templeton faced treatment with characteristic pragmatism. Chemotherapy sessions were scheduled around milking shifts. The dairy community rallied, staffing View-Fort during hospitalizations and contributing to medical funds.
The Templeton Legacy: Rooted in Family, Forged in Community
Nicola Templeton, now steward of View-Fort, affirms their daughters Geri and Harlie will inherit a operation prioritizing “udder-first culling and celebrating small victories.” The farm’s future includes embryos from EX-97 Fairvale Morty Lady 51 and plans for a 2027 sale featuring descendants of All-American T-Triple-T Dundee Paige. Templeton’s protocols—daily feeding consistency, biomechanical hoof trimming, and stress-minimized show prep—remain gospel among Australasian breeders.
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