The pair took charge of the Lake Wendouree versus Melton South game at CE Brown Reserve, just before the lockdown.

"It was really good. It was good to be able to umpire together at that level," Brent told The Courier.

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"It was really good to see how he's progressed as well.

"Obviously we both umpire at the same time mostly so we don't get to see each other umpiring too often."

The duo had umpired a senior Central Highlands Football League game together but this was their first crack at a BFNL game.

It's been a quick rise up the ranks for Hamish, who only began boundary umpiring in 2017.

He jumped at the challenge of field umpiring in 2018 and took control of his first CHFL and BFNL senior games in 2019.

Hamish, along with his brother Damian, is a part of the NAB League umpiring academy.

They have followed in the footsteps of their father, Brent, who has enjoyed a long and successful umpiring career to date, highlighted by a period in Melbourne.

He began with the BFNL in 1990, firstly as a boundary umpire.

He graduated through the ranks as a field umpire into the NAB League for four years, then known as the TAC Cup and the AFL reserves.

He returned to Ballarat and came back to umpiring at the local level once Hamish began running the boundary.

Brent hopes to continue for some years yet and field umpire a senior game with Damian, who is umpiring at the senior level in the CHFL currently.

"I'd like to think I've got quite a few more years yet," Brent said.

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