MORE than half a century of devotion to the Sydney Royal Show earned Swansea artist, Melvin Duffy, the coveted title of the 2014 Show Legend.
Melvin's achievements were recognised during this year's Royal Parade of Champions as part of the show's Excellence in Agriculture Day.
Melvin, born in 1930, has been a dedicated contributor to the Royal's Arts and Crafts section since 1960.
As a regular exhibitor since the 1960s, his rural subject and landscape paintings have been among the first artworks to sell each year, said Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) of NSW president, Glenn Dudley.
Ever since the inaugural "popular choice" award category was created in 1989, Melvin has won the coveted title an astonishing 12 times, and in 2009, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to art.
Most recently in 2012, Melvin received first prize for his rural subject painting, As Time Goes By, which he claims was one of his greatest achievements at the show.
Prior to Melvin's artistic involvement, his first taste of the show was back in the 1950s when he paraded Jersey cattle in the Sydney Royal Cattle Show.
Glenn said the Show Legend award was an incredible achievement which recognised extraordinary members of the show family, and this year's winner was certainly no exception.
"Melvin is a wonderful ambassador for the Sydney Royal Show," Glenn said.
"He is one of many exhibitors, who travel hundreds of kilometres and dedicate enormous amounts of time towards helping to shape what has become an iconic Australian event.
"Melvin's magnificent landscape paintings capture the essence of rural Australia and have been a popular draw card for patrons to come and see each year.
"It simply wouldn't be an Arts and Crafts Show without a Melvin Duffy painting featured."
The annual Show Legend award recognises outstanding service and commitment to the Royal through many years.
The RAS introduced the Show Legend award in 2001 to publicly thank a member of the show community who had worked continuously towards the betterment of the Royal, and looked to continue the show tradition" by passing on his or her knowledge to the next generation of show family members, Glenn said.
Additional show family members, or "champions", joined Melvin in the annual Parade of Champions event, where Melvin was honoured in front of a large crowd.
