Rowland Smith made a controlled effort in the Golden Shears Open.
Rowland Smith made a controlled effort in the Golden Shears Open.
World champion shearer Rowland Smith lived up to the tag of overwhelming favourite to win his third Golden Shears Open title in Masterton at the weekend.
It was a particularly controlled effort from the 29-year-old Hawke's Bay gun, who in contrast to many of his recent wins was just thirdoff the board as new finalist Paerata Abraham and best local Wairarapa hope David Buick tried to win the final by the only way possible — speed.
It was Abraham, from Dannevirke but now living in Masterton, who won the race, his 15min 50.234sec thought to be the third-fastest time in the 56 years of the final of 20 second-shear sheep, beaten only by David Fagan's 15min 27.4sec and John Kirkpatrick's 15min 43.8sec when they were winner and runner-up in 2003.
It was Smith's 28th win in 31 finals dating back to his second Golden Shears Open win in March 2014. Taking a break from competition shearing, Smith did not compete at the Golden Shears last year but is now in full swing, chasing a place in the Shearing Sports New Zealand team to defend his world title in Invercargill in February next year.
Ultimately, second place went to Napier shearer Kirkpatrick, the most prolific runner-up in the event's history but who also has won the title four times.
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Meanwhile, Canterbury courier run driver Tony Coster scored the South Island's biggest win of the championships by successfully defending the PGG Wrightson National Circuit title, by winning 15 sheep all-breeds final for a fifth time.
Gisborne's Joel Henare set a record for the most consecutive Golden Shears Open woolhandling finals in what was possibly the strongest final field since the event was introduced to the programme in 1985.
