Worth the wait in wool for Te Whetu Brown

On the way, Te Whetu Brown in the Taihape Junior final on January 30. Six days later she had her first win, at the Dannevirke A and P Show. Photo / Doug Laing

Napier-based woolhandler Te Whetu Brown claimed an overdue triumph for her commitment to competitions when she won Friday's Junior final in Dannevirke.

Originally from Te Reinga and currently working for Maraenui-based contractors Puna Shearing, it was her first win after a string of finals placings and came at the start of a big weekend of three days' competition across the Central North Island.

Brought up Mahurangi station, daughter of a well-travelling shearer/farmer and a woolhandler/cook, she became used to woolsheds at a young age - she remembers "sitting on the bales" as young as 3 years old.

She was fourth at Gisborne in October, runner-up at the CHB A and P Show in November and fifth at Taihape on January 30, and after winning on Friday continued the finals form with third place at the Aria Waitangi Day Sports on Saturday and fourth at the Rangitikei Shearing Sports North Island championships on Sunday.

The "ribbons" are usually the most important prize, but having achieved the first win the 23-year-old's ultimate reward at the weekend was second place in the Junior woolhandling grade of the MKM Mini Circuit, which was introduced for the lower grades of both shearing and woolhandling in the unique sequence of events at different venues over successive days.

The drawcard was the MKM 36.6 wool-possum mix jerseys, presented to the first four in each of the grades.

It was behind an increase in increase in competition entries, almost catching Dannevirke competition organiser, farmer and 1995 Golden Shears Junior shearing champion Jane Leogreen by surprise as she pondered the likely turn-up with a competition on a normal workday during an already stressed season missing most of the normal influx of Northern Hemisphere shearers.

There were 99 shearers and 49 woolhandlers, a total of 110 shearers and woolhandlers at Aria the next day – almost as many as the township's population – and 155 at Marton on Sunday.

There were plenty of opportunities, with Brown among 26 people who claimed victory in the 27 events across the three competitions.

Just three were Hawke's Bay competitors, with Staci Hikawai winning the Dannevirke Novice woolhandling, but world champion and seven-times Golden Shears shearing champion Rowland Smith also being kept to the minimum, on Sunday form to win at Marton.

RESULTS of the Dannevirke A and P Show Shears on Friday, February 5, 2021:

Shearing:

Open final (20 sheep): David Buick (Pongaroa) 16min 18sec, 54.95pts, 1; Rowland Smith (Maraekakaho) 16min 10sec, 55.5pts, 2; Aaron Haynes (Feilding) 16min 58sec, 58.55pts, 3; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 15min 53sec, 58.55pts, 4.

Senior final (10 sheep): Reuben Alabaster (Taihape) 11min 30sec, 41.6pts, 1; Chris Dickson (Masterton) 10min 49sec, 42.15pts, 2; Kyle Mita (Masterton) 11min 32sec, 44.1pts, 3; Tama Nahona (Whanganui) 11min 28sec, 44.8pts, 4.

Intermediate final (5 sheep): Joseph Gordon (Masterton) 7min, 29.2pts, 1; Adam Gordon (Masterton) 6min 49sec, 29.45pts, 2; Clay Harris (Piopio) 7min 13sec, 29.85pts, 3; Ellis Rees (Wales) 7min 3sec, 29.95pts, 4.

Junior final (4 sheep): Hamu Henderson (Kaiwaka) 5min 55sec, 23.25pts, 1; Michael Buick (Pongaroa) 6min 19sec, 25.95pts, 2; Finn McKenzie (Wairoa) 6min 37sec, 26.35pts, 3; Josh Devane (Taihape)8min 11sec, 32.8pts, 4.

Novice final (2 sheep): Sam Mathewson (Martinborough) 5min 27sec, 22.35pts, 1; Te Anna Phillips (Taumarunui) 4min 50sec, 25.5pts, 2; Summer Pritchard (Pongaroa) 4min 6sec, 26.3pts, 3; Lily Alabaster (Taihape) 4min 29sec, 26.45pts, 5.

Woolhandling:

Open final: Joel Henare (Gisborne) 27.2pts, 1; Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti) 33.4pts, 2; Brittany Tibble (Gisborne) 45.9pts, 3.

Senior final: Jimmy Samuels (Marton) 28.7pts, 1; Azuredee Paku (Masterton) 30.4pts, 2; Vinniye Phillips (Taumarunui) 38.8pts, 3.

Junior final: Te Whetu Brown (Wairoa) 35.9pts, 1; Amy Bell (Weber) 36pts, 2; Gabrielle Stoney (Dannevirke) 44.2pts, 3.

Novice final: Staci Hikawai (Dannevirke) 21.03pts, 1; Jade Hikawai (Dannevirke) 38.8pts, 2; Jevana Manson (Piopio) 47.8pts, 3.

Speedshear

Koro Mullins Memorial Aotea RFC Speedshear:

Open: Jimmy Samuels (Marton) 21.05sec, 1; Beau Hawkins 22.36sec, 2/ Leon Samuels (Invercargill) 22.73sec, 3.

Senior: Graiden Hauiti (Dannevirke) 24.78sec, 1; Conan 26.22sec, 2; Forde Alexander 27.58sec, 3.

Intermediate: Ellis Rees (Wales) 24.41sec, 1; Topia Barrowcliffe (Piopio) 24.68sec, 2; Clay Harris (Piopio) 28.68sec, 3.

Women: Eve Peddie (Rakaia) 29.76sec, 1; Emily Te Kapa (Scotland) 30.06sec, 2; Tes Paewai (Wales) 32.75sec, 3.

Winners at the other two competitions were:

Aria (Saturday): Open shearing, Leon Samuels (Invercargill); Senior shearing, Chris Dickson (Masterton); Intermediate shearing, Adam Gordon (Masterton); Junior shearing, Hamu Henderson (Kaiwaka); Novice shearing, Sean Fagan (Te Kuiti); Open woolhandling, Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti); Senior woolhandling, Vinniye Phillips (Taumarunui); Junior woolhandling, Topia Barrowcliffe (Piopio); Novice woolhandling, Sheena Maru (Marokopa).

Rangitikei (Sunday): Open shearing, Rowland Smith (Maraekakaho); Senior shearing, Kyle Mita (Masterton); Intermediate shearing, Ellis Rees (Wales); Junior shearing, Michael Buick (Pongaroa); Novice shearing, Summer Pritchard (Pongaroa); Open woolhandling, Samantha Gordon (Masterton); Senior woolhandling, Azuredee Paku (Masterton); Junior final, Rahera Kerr (Hautupu); Novice final, Grace Croasdale (Masterton).