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FIFA World Cup 2026 posterVale Colin Thompson
Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • May 25th, 2026 4:07 pm
The late Colin Thompson (left) pictured with his daughter-in-law Colleen, son John, and wife Irene. Photo: Supplied
The New Zealand thoroughbred industry is mourning the loss of highly respected Waikato identity Colin Thompson who passed away at the weekend aged 97.
Thompson was a leading veterinarian for decades, breeder and owner and with late wife Irene, their son John and his wife Colleen and Alan Galbraith established premier nursery Rich Hill Stud in the early 1990s.
“He didn’t suffer and passed away peacefully early on Sunday morning,” John Thompson said.
“Back in his day, there were no vet schools in New Zealand, so he had to go to Sydney and when he came back, he had to work for what was called the Vet Cub, which was a government-run organisation.
“He ended up in Matamata and he loved it there and met Mum and then started his own practice in Te Aroha for a couple of years, doing mainly cattle and some horses.”
Thompson senior later moved back to Matamata and was firstly joined in partnership by Jim Marks and subsequently the late David Christopher and Bill Ewen.
“When Dad retired it was Marks, Ewen and Associates and Matamata vets bought them out a few years ago,” John Thompson said.
“There were seven kids in our family, and I was born in 1962 and that was just when they came back to Matamata to start the practice.
“Dad and Jim Marks pioneered a lot of surgeries, and he was the first vet to get an x-ray machine, he got it off Waikato Hospital.
“I remember one of my cousins broke his leg and they brought him into Dad and he x-rayed it.”
Thompson senior was also involved with friends in a successful stallion syndicate.
“They bought Battle Waggon, Hasty Cloud and Zephyr Bay, pretty good stallions, and Dad was also an original shareholder in Zabeel,” John Thompson said.
“He had a couple of shares and there were only 40 shares back then and when Dad retired they got a dividend of $150,000 per share plus their nominations so it was life-changing again.
“Dad always had a few mares and sold at Trentham for many years and that’s what sparked my interest in breeding, when I was at varsity I used to take the yearlings there and help out in the holidays.
“He raced a few horses as well, he had quite a good one called Ruelle, who was by Summertime from Think Big’s family and won the Desert Gold Stakes.”
In 1994, Rich Hill Stud was established and under John’s guidance has developed into one of New Zealand’s elite farms.
It is currently home to champion sire Proisir and a graduate list including Group One winners Prince of Penzance, Xtravagant, (King) Mufhasa, Ferlax, Zarita, Recurring, Penny Gem and Pentane.
