At the Central West Rugby Union Referees Association annual general meeting, Howard and Ian Richardson were unanimously named the association's newest life members.

Howard fondly remembers that his last medal before that came back in 1969 when he won the Protestant Churches Rugby Competition B grade grand final with Punchbowl Methodists.

"It was a special moment," he said on his life membership.

"What I want to gain out of being a referee and referee coach is to see the changes in people and knowing that I've had some input to what's changed them.

"That's what it's all about but to get this, it was a very humbling moment. I didn't expect it but it's something that's really nice to get."

Howard first became involved in the sport back in 1977, after an accident ruled him out of playing rugby union when he was playing for the Nepean Emus (now named the Penrith Emus), so he decided to give refereeing a go in the Penrith area.

"I'd been playing rugby up until then and then I had an accident and I couldn't play anymore," he said.

"I was living in the Penrith area and they wanted to start a junior competition, so they were looking for people to referee, so I put my hand up.

"So I helped them set up their junior competition and I also helped with the referees association."

Twenty-one years later, in 1998, Howard would make the move west of the Blue Mountains, settling in Bathurst, which he's called home since.

His first match was a baptism of fire, or better put, a baptism of snow, when he controlled a game played in the snow out at Oberon.

Howard would continue his refereeing career until the end of the 2002 season, where he decided he'd give referee coaching a go.

"I decided that even though I was fit, the guys that I was refereeing were in their mid-20s and bit too fast for me," he said.

"I decided to take up referee coaching.

"As a referee coach my role is to watch them during their match and give them feedback and encouragement. I reckon I've done over 400 reports since 2003.

"I was also appointed to the NSW Country Referees and I started that in 2013.

"I've also for the past four years coordinated the NSW Junior Rugby Union under 12 carnival. I coordinate the referees and the referee coaches."

And over his time refereeing, Howard mentioned some of the significant changes to the laws of the game.

"When I was playing I played in the second row, so for me the most significant changes is that the fact you can lift the jumper at a lineout," he said.

"For me, another two significant changes has been to the scrum - where they've made them much safer - and safety in the ruck - what you can and can't do in the ruck."

Howard said he's had the pleasure to coach four future international referees, including Bathurst native and former Super 14 referee Nathan Pearce.

Howard and Richardson's life membership on Sunday was the first time since 2006 that the Central West Rugby Union Referees Association has inducted life members into its association.