TO THE community he was a valued vet - to local animals, the top doctor.

Arthur Richard Young, at the age of 82, passed away peacefully last month.

Mr Young was a product of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales and slowly found his way to the Casterton district as he worked in Melbourne and Warrnambool, before he purchased his own clinic in the late 1960s.

He had held a lifetime passion for working as a vet and a particularly special interest in horses.

In Sandford, Mr Young established a veterinary practice on a farm on which he also dealt with his own beef cattle and horses, while he also owned and trained several racehorses.

In 1976, he brought into Australia the country’s first Irish draught stallion - named Bantry Bay when he arrived - which he had bought in Ireland while working in England.

When he returned from England, he spent 16 years in Allansford, near Warrnambool - where the famous racehorse Reckless, who became the only horse to win the Sydney and Brisbane cups in one season and had two top four finishes in the Melbourne Cup, stood at stud.

It was after he left Allansford that he stayed in Bahgallah for the next 30 years, continuing to run a veterinary practice and beef cattle farm and help many locals and animals at any time of day and night.

He had been a registered veterinarian for more than 60 years and received plenty of recognition and awards for his service.

Mr Young’s love of horses passed down to his children and grandchildren, several of whom have become owners, trainers or jockeys.

His work to help locals’ animals was highly valued - even in his last days, he was actively doing what he could to help their friends, furry or otherwise.

A testament to Mr Young’s impact on the community was the size of the crowd that gathered in the Casterton Town Hall for his funeral service in late August.