In 1931 when Pyrland Vincent (Vince) Payne founded his Jersey stud ‘Valley Farm’ at 55 Paynes Lane, Upper Lansdowne he purchased from Hawksbury Agricultural College the bull Richmond Mirth, a 9 month old son of Finvoy Golden Noble (imp. NZ) and Lady Trenton 4th of Bathurst.
Twenty daughters (all ages) of Finvoy Golden Noble averaged about 450 lb of butter fat each. Lady Trenton 4th of Bathurst was tested on four occasions and averaged 521.70 lb of butter fat.
Vince bought several females from the Leigh stud of Dr J B Meredith, Raymond Terrace and also Birdsall Bros (Woodside stud) and R Watson Hewett (Ellerdale stud, Lismore).
He later introduced Bellefaire blood by the purchase of Bulby Cyclone (by Bellefaire Poppy’s You’ll Do (imp. In dam), ex Bellefaire Blonde’s Belfairnette). Both bulls were still in use in November 1938.
On 7 December 1938 the first Farmers’ Field Day was held by the Manning River Local Committee of the Australian Jersey Herd Society at Valley Farm Jersey Stud. There were visitors from Lansdowne, Comboyne, Wingham, Taree, Pampoolah, Camden Haven and Wauchope districts including Mr E O Dalgleish and Wilson Dairy Instructors. The day was reported in the Northern Champion.
In October 1939 Vincent registered his latest addition by natural increase ‘Valley Farm Countess Light’. The calf was sired by Richmond Mirth out of Woodside Park Volunteer Countess (second prize heifer at the 1937 Sydney Royal Show).
By January 1941 Vince had 56 registered Jerseys at Valley Farm. Valley Farm Pet, one of Vince’s cows, yielded 525 lb of butter fat in 365 days. In the first four months of her current test she produced 215 lb of fat.
Richmond Mirth was still being used and 20 cows by him were producing well and of excellent type.
Vince had also introduced Glen Iris Anemone’s Noble who was champion at the previous Taree show. His stock were prize winners at the Melbourne Royal Show and a heifer by him was the winner at the previous Gloucester Show.
By 1942 very satisfactory sales of Jerseys were being made by Vince at Valley Farm stud and booking orders were being taken for advance delivery.
In March 1943 Vincent held another sale where a yearling bull by Richmond Mirth was sold to Mr Roy Andrews of Pampoolah. Stock was also sold to Mrs H Hardes, Lansdowne, Miss J A Hogben, Brisbane, Mr L Dodds, Singleton and Mr W R Clarke, Jones Island.
Vince reported in September 1943 that 9 daughters of Richmond Mirth averaged 341 lb of fat each in official tests of 273 days. He had also introduced a new junior herd sire called Navua Ethne’s Royalist.
Cattle from Vince Payne’s Valley Farm were sought after all over Australia and played an important part in the establishment of many top stud farms. Among these were the nationally famous Ingalala stud of Johnston Brothers of Taree Estate.
In 1948 Vince Payne had the distinction of breeding the first Manning district cow to win the coveted Champion Cow award at the Sydney Royal Show with ‘Valley Farm Anemones Belle’.
Vince passed away in February 1997 in his 90th year. Vince was educated at Hunters Hill Saint Ignatious School and Riverview College. As a young man he worked for a time at Youngs Furniture in Manning Street, Taree. He married Mary Plunkett on 17 December 1949 and they had 2 children, Kevin and Anne.
Valley Farm Anemones Belle – Champion 1948 Sydney Royal Show
