Regular exhibitors and competitors

Press, 2 March 1984, Page 17

Regular exhibitors and competitors

The president of this year's Amuri show is Mr Bruce Thomson, who has served 18 years on the show committee. He farms a 365 ha sheep and cropping property at Rotherham with his two sons, John and Chris.

Mr Thomson came to Canterbury from Brydone, in Southland, where his grandfather and father had farmed, his father at Riverton. Before returning to farm work, he drove Mt Cook tour buses for 10 years.

He married Miss Marie Leach, of Scargill, and they took over the management of the Rotherham farm for Mrs Leach’s father in 1952, and they bought it five years later. They increased the sheep carrying from about 1000 to 3500 and, with continuing irrigation development, Mr Thomson expects to lift the capacity to about 4500, as well as continuing with the cropping. He is not proposing any major farming changes yet, although there will be plenty of scope for diversifying now that irrigation water is available. This is evident already with

dairying and stone fruit growing being introduced to the area. The Thomsons have been regular exhibitors and competitors at the shows. Until her death late last year, Mrs Thomson had been running a South Suffolk stud, which had been bought out from Kelso, Southland, and this is continuing to be run in her name. After being educated at Rotherham and Christ’s College, John and Chris have taken up farming. Although both are at home at present, Mr Thomson is a firm believer in his sons getting experience outside the district. John has had three years away workingin Mid-Canterbury and Western Australia, and Chris has a job to go to away from the district after the show. Mr Thomson has contributed to other organisations in the district also. He is a former chairman of the Amuri Federated Farmers, he served on the local school committee and is a member of the Amuri Lions Club. He also was an enthusiastic rugby player in his youth.