He first lent a hand at the show jumping in 1969. More than 55 years later, Ron Chittick has been handed the highest honour the Lismore Show can give.
Mr Chittick, a longtime volunteer and equestrian stalwart, has been conferred Life Membership of the North Coast National A & I Society. The presentation was made during the 2026 Lismore Show.
Life Membership is the society’s top honour. It recognises people who have shown exceptional dedication and service.
“Ron has been part of the fabric of the Lismore Show for more than 55 years, and his contribution over that time has been nothing short of remarkable,” said North Coast National A & I Society President John Gibson.
“People like Ron are the backbone of agricultural shows.”
“They turn up year after year, give countless hours of their time and make sure these wonderful community traditions continue for the next generation.”
Mr Chittick was born in Lismore in 1950 and raised on his family’s farm at Corndale. His show career began in 1969, when his father encouraged him to help out with the show jumping competitions.
More than five decades on, he is still in the thick of it. He has spent countless hours judging, designing courses, and organising show jumping events at shows across the region, including Lismore, Tenterfield, and Guyra.
The passion runs deep. Four generations of the Chittick family are now involved in show jumping.
“Ron has an incredible amount of knowledge and experience, and he’s always been willing to share that with others,” Mr Gibson said.
“Whether it’s preparing the arena, designing a course or encouraging young riders, he’s been there doing the work behind the scenes that so often goes unnoticed.”
Away from the arena, Mr Chittick enjoyed a distinguished 50-year career as a livestock auctioneer, from 1970 until he retired in 2020.
His community work is just as long. He has given more than 30 years to Rotary, decades of service to the rowing community, and leadership to agricultural and rural organisations.
“Life Membership is the highest honour our Society can confer, and there are few people more deserving of that recognition than Ron,” Mr Gibson said.
“When you think about the thousands of hours Ron has volunteered over the years, the generations of competitors he has supported and the contribution he continues to make, it’s an extraordinary legacy.”
Mr Gibson said the honour was a chance to recognise not only Ron’s years of service, but also the lasting mark he has left on the North Coast National.
“On behalf of the North Coast National, I want to sincerely thank Ron, his wife Lynne and the entire Chittick family for their dedication and service to our Show.”
“We are incredibly proud to confer Life Membership on Ron, and we hope he’ll continue to be part of the Lismore Show for many years to come.”
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