Joel Henare, from Gisborne and now living in Motueka, on his way to a 150th open woolhandling title at the Southern Shears in Gore. Henare is competing at the prestigious Golden Shears in Masterton next week and is in the New Zealand team for the world championships held as part of the four-day event. Photo / Barbara Newton
Joel Henare, from Gisborne and now living in Motueka, on his way to a 150th open woolhandling title at the Southern Shears in Gore. Henare is competing at the prestigious Golden Shears in Masterton next week and is in the New Zealand team for the world championships held as part of the four-day event. Photo / Barbara Newton
Woolhandling extraodinaire Joel Henare is heading into the ultimate arena of shearing sports on the back of another milestone in his glittering career.
Henare, who comes from Gisborne and lives in Motueka, completed an astonishing 150th open victory at the 60th anniversary Southern Shears championship at Gore last weekend.
Itcontinued a run of successes for the 34-year-old as he counts down to the prestigious Golden Shears in Masterton next week, where not only will he be defending the open woolhandling crown, he will also be a member of the New Zealand team competing in the world championships as part of the 63rd running of the Shears.
The combined forces of Joel Henare and Ngaio Hanson proved too good for their Australian opposition in the transtasman woolhandling test held at the Otago Shears. Photo / Barbara Newton
Henare and Eketahuna’s Marika Braddick are the two woolhandlers in a six-person Kiwi team that also features two machine shearers (Toa Henderson of Kaiwaka and Rowland Smith of Maraekakaho) and two blade shearers (Allan Oldfield of Geraldine and Tony Dobbs of Fairlie), with Bart Hadfield of Wairoa the manager.
Individual and team world titles are on the line and Henare is determined to add to the doubles he achieved at the worlds in Masterton in 2012 and Invercargill in 2017.
“I feel honoured and privileged to represent New Zealand,” said Henare, who earned his place in the team through topping a year-long, six-round selection series.
“The thought of all my whānau and friends – especially my mum and my four children – will be with me every step of the way.”
Henare is also looking to add to his incredible record in the open division at the Golden Shears – 11 consecutive woolhandling crowns at the event since 2013.
Henare won his 150th open title with a score of 131.318 in the four-person final at the Southern Shears, with Alexandra woolhandler Pagan Rimene runner-up on 190.5.
It came a week after title No 149 and transtasman test success for the man who started his career in the woolsheds of Central Otago, was competing in the open ranks from the age of 14 and won his first open title at Waipukurau in 2006.
New Zealand judge Daw Ratana (left), woolhandler Ngaio Hanson, manager Gordon “Flash” Duxfield and woolhandler Joel Henare after the Kiwi pair's transtasman test triumph Photo / Barbara Newton
Henare teamed up with Ngaio Hansen of Eketahuna to comfortably beat their Australian counterparts in the woolhandling test held as part of the Otago Shears at Te Houka near Balclutha.
The pair scored 125.068 to the Aussies’ 200.388, avenging New Zealand’s loss in South Australia in October in the first of a 2025-26 home-and-away, two-test series.
The victory extended Henare’s excellent test record to 14 wins in 16 appearances.
Henare followed the test success by winning his 14th New Zealand Woolhandler of the Year title. He scored 168.48, with Rimene second on 215.71.
The Golden Shears run from March 4-7 and all sessions were sold out as of this week. It can be viewed livestream (for a $10 subscription) at stream.goldenshears.co.nz.
