Break from shearing shed no problem for tough mum

A five-year-break from the woolsheds has done nothing to take the shine off Invercargill mother-of-three Taiwha Nelson, who won her third New Zealand Merino Championships open woolhandling title in Alexandra yesterday.
Originally from Wyndham but having spent almost 15 years in the sheds working for Alexandra contractors Peter and Elsie Lyon until she gave up to raise her children, 35-year-old Nelson said it was a big surprise to win the final.
New Zealand team member and Gisborne teenager Joel Henare was second, reigning Golden Shears champion Joanne Kumeroa, of Wanganui, third and first-time open competitor and former top junior and senior Amy-Lee Ruki, of Invercargill, fourth.
``I was tired,'' Nelson said today at the home of father-in-law and Alexandra wool industry identity John Nelson.
Nelson had not been in a woolshed ``in years'' until the day before the show, and conceded time points to all three fellow finalists.
But the others had more of an inkling who might have won, and told her that when they successively raised their hands to the judges, they looked along the board and saw just one clean table and floor.
Nelson said she still liked the woolshed life but while hoping to return to Alexandra to live, she did not plan to return to work as a woolhandler.