FAMOUS for his proud smile and handlebar moustache, Ian Barklamb's charisma has been credited for the large number of cattle entries at the Royal Canberra Show.
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Born in 1950 in Elsternwick, Melbourne, Mr Barklamb, "Clearwaters", Bermagui, died on December 30, 2013 after a battle with lymphoma.
Mr Barklamb (pictured) grew up in the Caulfield area and he met his future wife Aafke at school when she was 15 and he was 18.
The couple married at St John's in Elsternwick in 1970.
Mr Barklamb was in the computer industry for most of his Melbourne life until the family moved to Bermagui in 1995.
The couple ran their Galloway Stud "Clearwaters" and started showing their heifers at the Royal Canberra Show.
Mr Barklamb was passionate about Galloway cattle and he was the president of the Galloway Cattle Society of Australia for several years.
In the late 1990s, he was asked to join the Royal National Capital Agricultural Society, which is the official name for the organisers of the Canberra Show.
He eventually became chief steward, a position he held until recently.
"The large number of cattle entries at the Canberra Royal was due to his charisma, and desire to help each and every exhibitor," friend Peter McKeon said.
"One of my long-held memories is of Ian leading the cattle grand parade around the showground with the proud smile and glistening handlebar moustache for which he was famous."
Close friend and colleague through the Canberra Show, Mike Kennedy, spoke of how Mr Barklamb was a passionate supporter of youth activities during his time in the society.
"The show society, like a lot of the other things that Barky took on, was voluntary," Mr Kennedy said.
"He did voluntary work because he wanted to help and the added bonus was the friends he made - and he made a lot of friends."
He said Mr Barklamb, or Barky as he calls him, was always by his side when he fought an illness of his own.
"Barky was a great friend and confidant during some tough times," Mr Kennedy said.
"During some long bouts of treatment he would sit with me and we would talk about important stuff or just rubbish, but it was that he was there that was important."
Mr Barklamb's funeral was held in the Clavering Park Crematorium Chapel, Wolumla, on January 4.
He is survived by his wife Aafke and daughter Kate, her husband Todd and three grandsons, Jasper, Monti and Seaton.
