Scottish farming is the poorer following the passing of Tom Paterson, Dunruchan Farm, near Comrie, at the age of 88.
Tom was among the top Blackface Sheep breeders in Scotland and in high demand as a judge the length of the country and beyond.
He won every Blackie award worth winning in Scotland, including the Royal Highland Show twice, and later became one of the Royal Highland Show judges himself.
He won the Royal Highland’s Caldows Cup outright and replaced it with the Tom Paterson Cup, then went on to win it, too.
Only last year – his final year as it turned out – he lifted the two top Blackie awards at Perth Show, which gave him a particular delight because he regarded Perth as his home show.
Helping hand
One of farming’s characters, and a legend to many, the much-honoured Tom always had a hand outstretched to help others.
As one of his friends commented: “Tom Paterson was the most modest, generous, genuine, kind-hearted man you could meet. He worked his socks off all his days, a gentleman and fine example of a decent human being.”
Showing and judging were major elements of Tom’s life. Apart from the Royal Highland Show, he was also a judge at the Royal Yorkshire, Dublin, Balmoral, Isle of Man and Smithfield shows and countless local shows.
He was the archetypal Blackie man and in 2010 was presented with a crystal decanter and glasses to mark his service to the Blackface Sheep breed for 50 years.
He was from farming stock, of course. Tom’s father was shepherd at Gateside, Douglas, in Lanarkshire, where Tom was born in 1935.
In those distant days farm workers were always on the move and the Patersons flitted to Renfrewshire, then Glencoe where Tom began his schooling in Ballachulish, before settling in Perthshire for a time.
Dunkeld
His father was appointed farm manager at the Garrows in Glenquaich, Amulree, then managed Ballinloan Farm near Dunkeld.
At Ballinloan, lambing bag over small shoulder, the young Tom did his first lambing on his own at the age of 12.
It was at Drimsyne Beg Farm, Lochgoilhead, where Tom branched out as a shepherd on his own account.
In 1951 he became shepherd at Cornilees at Greenock and four years later at Glenmoy, in Angus, before returning to Perthshire to shepherd for Colonel Dewhurst at Dungarthill by Dunkeld.
Expertise
During those 13 years at Dungarthill Tom began to develop his reputation as a breeder along with his cup-winning habits and it became understood that Tom Paterson “kens sheep”.
But the best days of his career were still to come. In 1972 he took up the tenancy of Craigneich at Comrie from the Drummond Estate and began to show under his own name.
Nine years later he added the tenancy of the next-door Straid Farm, then Dunruchan, which became his home with Mairi and son Robert who, like his father, also “kens sheep”.
His reputation as a breeder and farming professional brought him the appointment of farm manager of the 24 farms on the Ancaster Estate.
On his retiral he was given the tenancy of Middleton Farm as a thank you. These 15 years were among the most enjoyable and successful periods of his life.
Versatility
Like all farmers, Tom could turn his hand to everything. In his younger days, he developed a prowess at clipping, both at hand-clipping and with a Bowins machine clipper.
He once put his skill to the test at the Royal Highland and won first prize in both categories.
And like most farmers he liked a friendly argument about the industry. A man of strong opinions Tom was never backwards in expressing them.
He once, by accident, even judged a rock band concert. As a young shepherd at Largs he and his friend Charlie went dancing to the posh Moorings Ballroom. Shepherds were hardly welcomed so they claimed to be doctors. One night, as a stranger, Tom was asked to judge a rock band concert evening. No problem for him, but when asked why he had chosen the winner Tom’s game was up. “It was the quietest,” he said.
Later sheep genetics fascinated both Tom and his wife Mairi. They firmly believed the right genetics would allow sheep to flourish irrespective of background.
Office-bearer
Tom’s record proved his point. He served as vice-chair of the local NFU branch representing hill farmers, District Eight chairman and vice-chair of the association.
He dedicated his life to farming and his Blackies. It was hard for him to let go as declining health took over.
Perhaps a telling comment on Tom Paterson’s life was that the three best pals he made at the Royal School of Dunkeld in the 1940s continued their friendship for the following 80 years until now.
Indeed, Tom was a man who kept his friends and his integrity to farming and its way of life to the finish.
Tom leaves behind his beloved wife Mairi and children Robert, Tommy, Jenny, Fiona and Hugh.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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