See also
Eva Berriman is a veterinarian, qualified technical teacher and technical writer. She was born Eva Mary Keay in Bonnyrigg, Scotland, the only child of Wilson William (Bill) Keay and Virginia (Nina) Moss.
The Keay family emigrated to Australia in 1949. They settled at first on a small crops farm at Mt Cotton near Brisbane, then later purchased a transport business at Jambin in central Queensland.
Eva attended several small rural primary schools before completing her secondary schooling at Ipswich Girls' Grammar School. Then it was on to the University of Queensland, from where she graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree (BVSc) in 1966.
Eva married fellow veterinarian Joe Berriman and they established Benkulen, an Arabian and Thoroughbred stud at Samford. Joe was lecturing at the University of Queensland and was course veterinarian to the major Brisbane racing clubs. Eva concentrated on developing the stud and operating a small private practice. She also worked as swabbing vet to the major metropolitan racing clubs, the first female veterinarian to be employed in this capacity in Australia.
The Berrimans' Arabian stallion Mildom was highly successful in the show ring, with an RNA (Brisbane) championship and several supreme awards to his credit. Eva competed in endurance riding for a few years because of her interest in the physiology of training, and she holds the distinction of being the first person to ride a purebred Arabian gelding through a one hundred mile ride in Australia, finishing fifth in the 1972 Quilty Cup on Khazdom.
Joe and Eva spent a period overseas, visiting horse establishments and universities in Europe. On their return they purchased Laudervale, a property on the Darling Downs where they went into Thoroughbred breeding fulltime. The venture resulted in a high percentage of winners to horses bred and a reputation for getting difficult breeders in foal. An outstanding horse they bred and raced was the multiple stakes winner and Doomben course record holder Mirraben.
In 1986 they reluctantly sold Laudervale, due to health and family reasons. Eva obtained a veterinary nursing/rural teaching position with TAFE Queensland, which saw them return to the Samford valley and a picturesque ten hectare property within easy commuting distance of Brisbane.
Eva remained in the TAFE teaching position for six years, then resigned to write and publish a book on horse husbandry and management. In 1992 she returned to TAFE part-time until 1999, when the decision was made to move back to the Toowoomba area.
Sadly Joe passed away suddenly in February 2003. Eva saw the house they had been building at the time to completion, ably "assisted" by cats Ijaz (master of the silent miaow) and Azha and a large spotted dog of unknown parentage called Mort.
Eva is listed in the Guide to Experts in Animal Issues (Animals and Society Institute, Baltimore, U.S.), a guide to people worldwide who have special expertise in advancing animal protection issues. She is a member of Animal Consultants International, and has recently advised on campaigns for CHAI in Israel, Animal Liberation Victoria in Australia, AnimalAid in the UK and Animals Australia. She is an RSPCA Qld volunteer writer (instructional materials), and a life member and bequestor of that organization. She is also a member of Animals Australia and the Australian Association for Humane Research.
Mary Lothian
Fictional romance, loosely based on the KEAY journey in Australia.