Ron ’ s 90th birthday
a very comfortable apartment in the Independent Living section of Uniting Care village in Richmond .
The move from their Arabian horse breeding property , Ralvon , on the banks of the Colo River to suburbia was , according to the husband-and-wife team , a seamless transition .
I was surprised at that statement because these passionate horse lovers had spent 40 years in the wide-open spaces in that neck of the woods and I thought it would have taken them a lot of adjusting to living in close proximity to neighbours .
“ We believe it has been the best move we ’ re ever made ,” Ron said .
“ Val and I were still managing to look after the property and the horses but I woke one morning and thought ‘ we aren ’ t spring chickens anymore and perhaps we should move into town to be closer to medical services ’”.
Throughout most of their time at Colo River Road , Ron and Val had up to 100 horses on the property but over the years they cut back . By the time they decided to relocate , they had just eight horses in their paddocks .
“ All of them were given away to good homes ,” Ron said . “ And we also went to a good home ! “ We were steered into Uniting Care through a resident , Deidre Ryan , who was Val ’ s bridesmaid all those years ago .
“ The moment we walked into the apartment for an inspection we loved it and immediately began thinking where we would place all our stuff .”
Val and Ron have quickly made friends and have become valued members of the aged care facility .
Ron has always had a passion for gardening and with the whole-hearted approval of the administrative staff and fellow residents , he has developed colourful and flourishing gardens , choca-block full of pansies , petunias , gladioli , foxgloves and bottlebrush .
He ’ s also a member of the residents committee , lending an eager ear to listen to the concerns and opinions of his neighbours and relaying them to the administrative staff .
Both Ron and Val are in good health after each overcoming “ little setbacks ” since relocating to Richmond .
“ I have developed vertigo but keep it under control with medicines and exercises and Ron had a twisted bowel in June but he ’ s right as rain now after the surgeon managed to untwist it without too much problem ,” Val said .
Ron and Val are both recipients of Order of Australia Medals for their services to the equine industry through their breeding of quality Arabians which attracted buyers from around the world .
One of those buyers was the legendary American singer and performer , Wayne Newton , who is one of the major breeders of Arabians in the United States .
For more than half a century Ron and Val have been tireless supporters of the Arabian Horse Society of Australia ( AHSA ).
Val was member of the Board of Directors for many years and both she and Ron are Honorary Life Members and Joint Patrons of the AHSA .
Ron and Val Males with a couple of equine friends at their Ralvon Arabian horse breeding property at Colo River prior to selling up and moving to Richmond .
HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY RON • DAD • POP Congratulations & lots of love from
Val , Kerry and Peter , Philip and Sue , Peter and Kathleen , your grandchildren , great-grandchildren & great-great-grandchild , extended family and friends .
THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 138 // NOVEMBER 2021 9