Youngest president in history of Show

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33058, 27 October 1972, Page 17

Youngest president in history of Show

At 33 Mr J. F. Wyllie is the youngest president the

Amberley Agricultural and Pastoral Association has had since it was formed in 1901. In spite of his youth, however, Mr Wyllie has a

wealth of experience to call on. He was elected to the committee 13 years ago and has been connected with the association for almost as long as he can remember. At the age of nine Mr Wyllie can remember herding sheep with his father at an earlier show. One of the principals in a family business comprised of two blocks at Omihi, Mr Wyllie runs a mixed cropping and sheep farm in addition to a stud beef concern. He has imported several Australian Murray Gray cows and a bull during the last three years and is at present working on a breeding programme with Aberdeen Angus cows artificial inseminated with Murray Gray semen. Mr Wyllie has shown sheep and fat lambs since his youth and has a long family connection with the show. His grandfather, Mr John Wyllie, showed Clydesdales at the first show in 1901 and his father, Mr A. D. Wyllie showed the last Clydesdale in the jubilee show to mark the association’s fiftieth year in 1952. Mr Wyllie, senior, was also president of the association in 1952. Two of Mr Wyllie’s great-uncles were also presidents of the association. They are Mr James Wyllie (1909) and Mr J. D. Wyllie (1915). Another uncle, Mr J. J. Wyllie was president in 1945 and is at present a patron. Mr Wyllie’s brother (Mr D. A. Wyllie) is the junior vicepresident. Mr Wyllie was educated at St Andrew’s College in Christchurch and from there he went directly to the family’s property in Omihi.