Judith Odgaard

WA Branch President and Representative

I spent much of my childhood travelling this State’s station and wheatbelt country while my father selected sites to drill for water. Hearing his comments re: condition of the land and whether good or bad management practices had evidently been conducted, I absorbed a concern and love for the country.

Most of my life’s been lived on semi or rural holdings, breeding a variety of livestock and now on a 25 hectare  property breeding a small number of  Thoroughbreds; this being a ‘sublimation’ of my showjumping participation that was terminated in my late teens by a non horse related accident. I have served on a number of jumping club committees as well as being a judge (FEI R), mentor and selector.  I am increasingly concerned with the perceived Welfare aspect of equestrian activities and consider it necessary for all involved to become more proactive.

Of my gainfully employed life, a number of years was as a laboratory assistant with the Institute of Agriculture, several years in a geological laboratory concurrent with ten years interviewing with the Bureau of Census and Statistics, followed as a science technician in several colleges from the 70s till now.

My undergraduate degree was in visual arts, and psychology. The visual art practice involved installations dealing with salinity and sustainability while my PhD researched attitudes and behaviours of Graduate Diploma of Education (Primary) Students’ regarding their perceptions of sustainability.