Thompson, who was runner-up at last year’s awards, was visibly overwhelmed as he accepted the prize.
‘‘I’m absolutely stoked.
‘‘Words haven’t quite formed properly yet.
‘‘I’m over the moon,’’ he said.
After cutting his teeth in the South Auckland music scene, Thompson dedicated most of his time to helping his students from Music South excel at the junior and intermediate levels.
However, he decided to take two years for himself and said he could now tell his students dreams were not only worth pursuing, but were achievable too.
‘‘I can teach them unequivocally this is what it feels like, because I know,’’ he said.
‘‘[My future] is about being able to keep the young generation coming through, encouraging them.
‘‘Meanwhile putting my own stuff out there as well — that would be nice, you know.’’
Among the hundreds of people in the audience were Dame Lynda Topp, who had picked up the New Zealand Country Music Honour Award earlier in that day.
She delivered a moving speech, paying tribute to her twin sister, Dame Jools Topp, who died on May 23.
Many of the Gold Guitar contestants over the weekend dedicated songs and performances to Dame Jools.
Zac Weeks, of Tasmania, the overall runner-up in the senior category, said it had been a great choice to make the trip to Gore.
‘‘I didn’t know what to expect.
‘‘Everyone tried to explain the best they could [but] I didn’t know what I was on about or what I was doing.
‘‘When I figured that out, I was on to it, had a mission — and I think it worked,’’ he said.
