"I've done quite a bit of farming and have been recognised before, but you don't do these kind of things expecting this."
Mr McCarroll was awarded a life membership by Shearing Sports New Zealand last year.
"That was a huge honour because there were only two of us," he said.
"But this is probably a bit more so.
"I guess it's because it's a national honour.
"Shearing Sports, that was huge as well, but it's just one small part of everything we do.
"We are also royalists, so this is very special."
The former national delegate of Shearing Sports New Zealand has been a competitor in international and national shearing sports since 1967 and still competes today.
He has also been involved heavily in the administration side of the sport, judging competitions since 1978 and managing the New Zealand team at the Golden Shears World Championships on several occasions.
"There's been a lot of people involved over the years.
"I've just tried to do my bit," he said.
Mr McCarroll has been secretary and a committee member of the World Sheep Shearing Records Society and chairman of North Island Shearing Sports.
He has also been a member of the Oropi Young Farmers' Club, the Greerton Lions Club, Federated Farmers Tauranga Branch and the Oropi Settlers Hall committee.
These days, Mr McCarroll enjoys a quieter life between his home in Whangamata and kiwifruit orchard in Oropi.
