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Napier shearer Paraki Puna at the Wairarapa show on Saturday, his first open final.

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Veterans beat the young guns

8 Nov, 2019 11:16am
3 minutes to read

Shearer wins event 25 years after his first open win.

THE COUNTRY

Rising temperatures hit lamb prices

7 Nov, 2019 11:20am
7 minutes to read

The lack of a prime sale last week meant big numbers this week.

THE COUNTRY

Farmers bask in price boom

7 Nov, 2019 11:18am
3 minutes to read

Demand for lamb and beef at record levels.

Dion King bounces back to win the Great Raihania Shears open final, by 0.1pts from event favourite Rowland Smith. Photos / SSNZ

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Close call, but all power to the King

31 Oct, 2019 12:49pm
3 minutes to read

Dramatic win for shearer Dion King at the Great Raihania Shears open final.

Students competing in the seventh annual schools shearing event received some expert tuition.

THE COUNTRY

A&P Show: Conditions ideal for Martin and Troy

31 Oct, 2019 11:50am
3 minutes to read

Shearing winners from three different schools.

Fleece judging competition winner Niamh Barnett, 17, an Iona College pupil from Akitio. Photo / Warren Buckland

THE COUNTRY

Royal NZ Show: Where there's wool there's a way

24 Oct, 2019 11:00am
3 minutes to read

Passion for natural fibre remains as strong as ever, even if not reflected in the price.

Shearing identity Koro Mullins. Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

Shearing world prepares to farewell Koro Mullins

19 Sep, 2019 10:30am
5 minutes to read

Shearing identity Koro Mullins will have a town hall send-off in Dannevirke on Friday.

A healthy herd protects your productivity. Photo / DairyNZ

THE COUNTRY | Shearing

Comment: Don't let costly disease run away on you

18 Jul, 2019 10:38am
2 minutes to read

Controlling bovine viral diarrhoea is vital for your herd's health

Wairarapa shearer David Buick has been called into the New Zealand team for the last four tests in Wales. Photo / Doug Laing / SSNZ

THE COUNTRY | Shearing

Shearing: Buick recalled for Wales tour

18 Jul, 2019 10:34am
3 minutes to read

David Buick has been recalled for a four-test series against Wales.

Te Mata Peak was swarmed by a large crowd of Mongrel Mob members from a number of different chapters. Photo / Facebook

NEW ZEALAND

Te Mata takeover: Why the Mongrel Mob isn't backing down

9 May, 2019 5:00pm
4 minutes to read

Gang says they were within their rights to use the Te Mata Peak carpark for a ceremony.

A flashback to 2009 when Marg Baynes and daughter Ingrid set a world shearing record in a hot King Country woolshed. Photo / File

HAWKE'S BAY TODAY

Golden Shears: Former record holder still willing to step up

7 Mar, 2019 5:00pm
8 minutes to read

It's all about taking part, says the farmer with a can-do attitude

Signage on the former railway land indicated development was about to get underway in August, 2018. Photo / Duncan Brown.

NEW ZEALAND

Tribunal hearing over possible 'significant prejudice'

18 Feb, 2019 5:00am
3 minutes to read

The three of seven hapu argue the Crown breached treaty principles.

The washout which happened north of Raupunga after heavy rain in the first week of September. Photo / File

BUSINESS

Rail line washout repair and reopening on track

11 Dec, 2018 11:21am
3 minutes to read

April is still the adjusted target for reopening the Napier-Wairoa railway line.

Diaz Drive homicide inquiry team member Constable Andrew Boyd, yesterday at the site where Edward Peters was found early in the morning of November 16. Photo / Paul Taylor

NEW ZEALAND

Bashed in the street: Homicide inquiry in Flaxmere

26 Nov, 2018 6:00am
3 minutes to read

People running, man bashed, family mourns.

Manawatu shearer Aaron Haynes finally won an open final after seven years of trying. Photo / Doug Laing

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Rare pair of open wins at Waipukurau

12 Nov, 2018 3:15pm
4 minutes to read

Open shearing and woolhandling finals won by competitors who had never previously won.

Wayne Montaperto was a suspect in the killing of Teresa Cormack when he went on trial on other convictions. Photo /File

NEW ZEALAND

Rare appeal hope for one-time Teresa Cormack homicide suspect

24 Oct, 2018 6:00am
4 minutes to read

Spectre of notorious child abduction and killing raised cleared former suspect's appeal.

The junior final lineup - competition organiser Noel Handley (left), Liam Allwood (fourth), Henry Mayo (third), Kelly Poehls (runner-up), Adele Lemercier (winner). Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Women dominate at Northern A and P Show

23 Oct, 2018 9:29am
4 minutes to read

Women dominate lower grades at shearing championships in Rangiora.

Competition organiser Ian Kirkpatrick (left), winner David Buick and commentator Koro Mullins. Photo / SSNZ

THE COUNTRY

David Buick wins opening North Island shearing event

15 Oct, 2018 11:00am
4 minutes to read

It's a long, long road for Worlds hopeful David Buick.

A sheep gatecrashed a ribbon ceremony, and masqueraded as an alpaca after escaping the pens at the Ellesmere A and P Show's shearing competitions on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

Gatecrashing sheep steals limelight at Ellesmere A and P show

15 Oct, 2018 9:42am
3 minutes to read

Sheep escapes from shearing shed and gatecrashes alpaca ribbon ceremony.

Anna-Lise Humstad in the Rotorua show's intermediate shearing final in January. Photo / SSNZ

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Anna-Lise Humstad wins Norway open final

9 Oct, 2018 10:30am
3 minutes to read

Norwegian Anne-Lise Humstad is one of the few women to win a National Open shearing title.

Fairlie shearer and farmer Tony Dobbs winning the Open Blades title at Waimate last year. Photo / SSNZ

THE COUNTRY

Master blades shearer reaches milestone after 35 years

8 Oct, 2018 9:45am
6 minutes to read

Tony Dobbs even surpassed shearing legend Sir David Fagan's record.

Alexandra woolhandler and shearer Pagan Karauria in action. File Photo / Shearing Sports New Zealand

THE COUNTRY

Big southern double at NZ Merino Championships

1 Oct, 2018 9:45am
2 minutes to read

Pagan Karauria and Nathan Stratford win big at NZ Merino Championships in Alexandra.

The placement of a Hastings child robbery-accused under watch in a motel doesn't surprise leading Hawke's Bay youth and family lawyer Don Kennedy. Photo / File

NEW ZEALAND

Robbery accused, 12, finally in secure care

27 Sep, 2018 5:03pm
3 minutes to read

Courts and Oranga Tamariki ponder what to do with a 12-year-old robbery accused.

A male gannet puts on a stretching display hoping to attract a mate at Cape Kidnappers. Photo / Warren Buckland

NEW ZEALAND

Nest sites lost as gannet colony slips into sea

26 Sep, 2018 6:53am
3 minutes to read

The birds will find other places in the colonies at Cape Kidnappers, experts say.

Members of both teams sorting sheep before Sunday's shearing test at the Royal Perth Show. Australian team members Daniel McIntyre (far left) and Shannon Warnest (far right) and NZ team members Nathan Stratford (back to camera), Rowland Smith and John Kirkpatrick (pointing). Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Australia takes the upper hand in Perth test matches

24 Sep, 2018 9:16am
2 minutes to read

Surprise Australian woolhandling win tipped the scales at the Royal Perth Show.

The New Zealand Merino Shears team of Nathan Stratford (centre) and Troy Pyper (right) after their win over West Australian team Luke Harding (left) and Damien Boyle. Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Kiwis win big at Royal Perth Show

24 Sep, 2018 8:52am
3 minutes to read

New Zealand shearers and woolhandlers were off to a good start at the Royal Perth Show .

Joel Henare (right) in action with hero and now-late multiple World, Golden Shears and New Zealand champion Joanne Kumeroa, winning the World teams title in Masterton in 2012. Photo / SSNZ

THE COUNTRY

Joel Henare plans retirement and family time

21 Sep, 2018 10:30am
4 minutes to read

World champion woolhandler Joel Henare is signalling a retirement from top competition.

Port Ahuriri School wants to liquor over the three-and-a-half hours of its Food and Music Festival.

NEW ZEALAND

Bureaucratic battle: Should school fundraisers sell alcohol?

10 Sep, 2018 12:34pm
2 minutes to read

Port Ahuriri School seeks licence to continue liquor sales at festival on school grounds.

Port Ahuriri School's annual fundraiser used to be known as a Wine and Food Festival, and still serves alcohol.

HAWKE'S BAY TODAY

Committee between rock and a hard place

10 Sep, 2018 5:53am
3 minutes to read

School strikes hurdle in wanting to sell liquor at fundraiser

Decorated policeman Senior Constable Paul Symonds has accepted an apology from a prisoner who attacked him.

NEW ZEALAND

Hero police officer bashed as he offered prisoner food

27 Aug, 2018 10:54am
2 minutes to read

Unprovoked attack broke sympathetic officer's eye socket and jaw.

Paul Collier admitted an indecency with a 15-year-old he says lied about her age.

NEW ZEALAND

Home D for man who admitted indecency with teen girl

17 Aug, 2018 5:47pm
2 minutes to read

Home detention for man who met 15-year-old through website

A woman jailed today in Napier for failing to stop her husband's rape of her daughter has been told by a judge she doesn't

NEW ZEALAND

'You don't get it': Judge jails wife after husband raped daughter

17 Aug, 2018 4:53pm
3 minutes to read

Mother sends money to husband in jail despite what he did to her daughter.

The police vehicle after the crash near Poukawa on June 27. Photo / File

NEW ZEALAND

Teen admits causing crash that injured police officer

8 Aug, 2018 8:49am
2 minutes to read

He drove at 103 km/h in the city, refused to stop and crashed, injuring a police officer.

Ani Carroll, from Age Concern in Flaxmere, with some of the new residents' safety alarms. Photo / Paul Taylor

NEW ZEALAND

Alarms to deter robbers and thieves

1 Aug, 2018 6:00am
3 minutes to read

A watch on ATMs showed there was a need for people to have personal alarms.

South Canterbury shearer Allan Oldfield who won the Corwen Shears in Wales - his eighth win of the season in the Northern Hemisphere. Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Allan Oldfield ends UK jaunt with win No 8

30 Jul, 2018 11:28am
3 minutes to read

Oldfield has emphatic win in the blade shearing final at the Corwen Shears in North Wales.

Smoke from a chimney in Hastings. Photo / Glenn Taylor

NEW ZEALAND

Clock ticking on Hastings air quality

25 Jul, 2018 5:49pm
2 minutes to read

Targets are set to remove dangers to health.

Kiwi Allan Oldfield congratulates Irishman Peter Heraty after Heraty's blade shearing record 326 sheep in nine hours in Ireland on Friday. Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

Kiwi helps Irishman conquer blade shearing record

25 Jul, 2018 10:45am
4 minutes to read

Kiwi Allan Oldfield helps Peter Heraty to an Irish record in blades shearing.

Jack Fagan seen here competing in the at the Waipawa Speed Shear event. Photo / Rebecca Patterson

THE COUNTRY

New Zealand shearers step-up in Wales

24 Jul, 2018 9:15am
3 minutes to read

New Zealand shearers have had a big start to the Royal Welsh Show week.

Russel Norman and Sara Howell hearing their fate in the Napier District Court. Photo / Paul Taylor

NEW ZEALAND

Greenpeace boss Russel Norman and staffer face anxious wait over oil protest

20 Jul, 2018 10:32am
4 minutes to read

Former MP swam in front the seismic exploration vessel Amazon holding a protest banner.

Gavin Mutch claims the big win in Calgary last week. Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Gavin Mutch wins in Canada

19 Jul, 2018 10:14am
3 minutes to read

Gavin Mutch has won one of North America's major titles.

NEW ZEALAND

Tinder teen's text murder plot

30 Jun, 2018 12:00pm
8 minutes to read

Victim stabbed nine times, kicked and stomped and left to die - just for the car.

A Napier City Council webcam image of McLean Park in heavy rain. Photo / Napier City Council

HAWKE'S BAY TODAY

Lakeside at McLean Park

12 Jun, 2018 3:34pm
2 minutes to read

The park will be ready for rugby on September 2, come hell or high water.

HAWKE'S BAY TODAY

Prison reform a question of time

12 Jun, 2018 6:00am
2 minutes to read

Time for a bit of rational thinking on social justice issues.

Trent Hewes has just chalked up the biggest success of his short career. Northlanders Matt Smith and Brook Hamerton also featured in the premier UK event.

THE COUNTRY

Shearing: Waikato teen tops Kiwi exploits in UK

7 Jun, 2018 5:00am
3 minutes to read

Young Kiwi shearer Trent Hewes wins intermediate title at Britain's Golden Shears.

Neville Child with a borrowed green tie at the North Island championships last month. Photo/Doug Laing

THE COUNTRY

Emotional ties at National Sheep Dog Championships

3 Jun, 2018 3:30pm
5 minutes to read

Neville Child had to work hard for another green tie, after his first was stolen.

Dave Stuart and Gus, seen here at the 2017 NZ Sheep Dog Trial Championships. Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

North claims Huntaway double in South Island champs

1 Jun, 2018 8:37am
4 minutes to read

North wins a near clean sweep of top placings in the two Huntaway classes.

The Patoka farm receives about 100 new bulls from the South Island. Photo / Warren Buckland

BUSINESS

Replacement stock arrive after M. bovis scare

1 Jun, 2018 6:48am
3 minutes to read

It's taken seven months, but thing are coming right on the farm at Patoka.

Napier police are investigating a van theft and a dairy raid that happened over the weekend.

NEW ZEALAND

Napier kōhanga reo van stolen

21 May, 2018 6:00am
3 minutes to read

A van theft and a chippies heist at a corner store mar weekend in Napier.

A firefighter on the Marine Parade balcony of the Shoreline Motel after yesterday's fire in Napier. Photo / Doug Laing

NEW ZEALAND

Motel unit fire: What the cleaner saw

15 May, 2018 7:00am
4 minutes to read

No one was in the unit when the fire started.

David Buick, who won Monday's New Zealand Lambshearing Championships Open final in Firlie, pictured earlier in the season at Apiti. Photo / Doug Laing

THE COUNTRY | Rural events

Wairarapa's David Buick lands lambshearing title at Fairlie

3 Apr, 2018 9:26am
5 minutes to read

David Buick has won the Mackenzie Shears national lambshearing championships.

THE COUNTRY

Sheepdog trials: Baynes claims overdue win at Tikokino-Olrig trials

30 Mar, 2018 10:30am
4 minutes to read

Becs Baynes has won the straight hunt with Tom at the Tikokino-Olrig trials.

Woodville shearer Tegwyn Bradley pictured winning the Golden Shears Senior final on March 3. Photo / Pete Nikolaison

THE COUNTRY

Shearers continue their winning ways

27 Mar, 2018 11:04am
4 minutes to read

Rowland Smith, Tegwyn Bradley, Brandon Maguire-Ratima and Daniel Seed on form.

Reefton-based Geraldine shearer Paul Hodges, pictured at Waimate in October. He won the Methven Shears Open final on Saturday. Photo / Doug Laing SSNZ

THE COUNTRY

Young gun beats old hand at Methven Shears

19 Mar, 2018 10:10am
3 minutes to read

Paul Hodges wins Methven Lamb Shears Open final by just eight hundredths of a point.

THE COUNTRY | Rural events

Shearing: Mutch puts it all together at Raetihi

19 Mar, 2018 9:43am
4 minutes to read

Gavin Mutch won Waimarino Shears 40th anniversary Open final at Raetihi on Saturday.

This weekend will be a busy time for sheepdog trials.

THE COUNTRY

Sheepdog trials: Taylor scores wins on home ground

15 Mar, 2018 2:30pm
3 minutes to read

Wairoa sheep dog triallist Fraser Taylor scored wins on his home club in heading and hunt.

Dargaville shearer Neville Osborne led his team to a new Northland shearing championship win on Saturday. Photo / Supplied

THE COUNTRY

A big day at the Kumeu Shears

14 Mar, 2018 3:27pm
3 minutes to read

Dargaville shearer Neville Osborne had one of his better days at the Kumeu Shears.

Patoka Trials cancelled last year attracted good numbers this year.

THE COUNTRY

Sheepdog trials: Patoka trials have record numbers

8 Mar, 2018 4:00pm
2 minutes to read

Patoka Sheep dog trials have had record number of entries this year.

Ricci Stevens pictured winning the Taihape A and P Show Senior woolhandling title in January. Photo / Doug Laing

THE COUNTRY

North Island woolhandling champions to be decided

27 Feb, 2018 3:02pm
3 minutes to read

Pre-Golden Shears shakedown will decide two hotly-contested North Island titles.

Taihape woolhandler Sheree Alabaster. Photo / Sarah Ivey

THE COUNTRY

Taumarunui Shears results

26 Feb, 2018 10:21am
4 minutes to read

Taihape woolhandler Sheree Alabaster successfully defends Open woolhandling title.

Taihape schoolboy Reuben Alabaster on his way to winning the Pahiatua Shears Junior final. Photo / Doug Laing

THE COUNTRY

Rowland Smith completes pre-Shears treble with Pahiatua win

26 Feb, 2018 9:11am
4 minutes to read

Second consecutive clean sweep of the pre-shears weekend treble at the Pahiatua Shears.

A large slip on State Highway 1 near Kaikoura after ex-tropical Cyclone Gita brought torrential rain to the south island.

NEW ZEALAND

Cyclone Gita: Kaikoura A&P Show must go on

23 Feb, 2018 11:17am
3 minutes to read

Destruction wrought by Cyclone Gita won't deter events at the Kaikoura A&P Show.

Centre president Clark Chrystal is the man to keep in line.

THE COUNTRY

Sheepdog trials: Tutira farmer has an enviable record

22 Feb, 2018 5:30pm
4 minutes to read

It's centre championships time again for Hawke's Bay sheep dog triallists