Whangamomona based shearer, Gavin Mutch, has become the first shearer from overseas to win the Golden Shears Open Shearing Championship.
The Scotsman, originally from Huntly in Aberdeenshire, was crowned winner of the event in Masterton on Saturday night in front of a crowd of over 1600. The historic moment was watched by his wife Pip and their children livestreamed over the internet from their home in the Republic of Whangamomona, along with many of his friends and relatives as they ate their breakfast over 20,000kms away in Scotland.
The 36-year-old shearer says the win was made particularly sweet by the fact he achieved it before legendary Te Kuiti shearer, David Fagan, retired.
Fagan (53) was eliminated in the semi-finals, ending his bid to win a 17th Golden Shears Open title before he retires next month. Gavin says that Fagan's consistent success with the event has prevented many great shearers from achieving what he terms "the ultimate goal" in world shearing.
The 2010 winner, Cam Ferguson, of Waipawa, was also ousted in the semi-finals, leaving a unique field comprising just one former winner, Hastings shearer Dion King, in the running.