Young gun fires in shearing contest

Kalin Chrystal (right) pictured with fellow shearers Shelford Wilcox (left) and uncle Errol Chrystal in a break during last month's shearing record at Big Hill Station, Kereru. On Saturday he beat some of the best in the Te Puna Speedshear. Photo / Warren Buckland

Young Napier shearer Kalin Chrystal produced a bolter's win to claim a $2000 first-place cheque against some of the country's best at the Te Puna Speedshear near Tauranga.

Born almost with a handpiece in his hand and passing numerous tally milestones in the woolshed from a young age, Chrystal produced a winning time of 17.88 seconds for the quickest sheep on the night - and thought to be be the fastest in a Speedshear anywhere in the country this summer. Runner-up was fellow Hawke's Bay shearer Adam Brausch, and also among the field last Saturday was shearing great Sir David Fagan, warming up for his performance as defending champion in the Hilux NZ Rural Games speedshear in Queenstown February 7.

It was display of progress for Chrystal, who last month shore in a three-man World eweshearing record west of Hastings, with a personal tally of 486 in eight hours.

Also warming up for the Rural Games is World champion Hawke's Bay shearer Rowland Smith, who packed a speedshear win at a hotel south of Nelson on Saturday night during a busy weekend in which he won show shearing titles at Tapawera earlier that day and at Levin on Sunday.

Smith was beaten just once in seven show finals last summer and is unbeaten in five this season.

A dogs' show

It doesn't take long to come around so it's all go for sheep dog trialists who open their 2015-2016 Hawke's Bay season tomorrow with the Waikoau club's trials, near Tutira.

The two-day trial is expected to attract most of the trialists in the area, with particular interest in new dogs and new faces on the scene during the Hawke's Bay season of 12 club trials, the last at Taradale just before Anzac Day.

The first trial in the Wairarapa and Southern Hawke's Bay centre is also tomorrow and Saturday, at Tinui.

The grand plan

Beef + Lamb NZ is staging an environmental management plan workshop in Central Hawke's Bay on February 16. The 9.30am-4pm forum will be held at the Ashley Clinton Makaretu Hall in Makaretu Rd.

It's been developed to help farmers operating in Hawke's Bay Regional Council boundaries to complete a Farm Environmental Management Plan (FEMP), which will satisfy regional council requirements.

Beef + Lamb NZ says the plan is good for both the business and environment, and when implemented demonstrates good management, identifies opportunities for efficiency gains, and shows the wider community that sheep and beef farmers are good caretakers of the land.

Environment Awards

Those already on the environmental protection buzz will be awaiting the Ballance Farm Environment East Coast Awards, which will be presented at an annual function at the Napier War Memorial Conference Centre on February 25.

The awards find and celebrate role models who show how an environmentally sensitive approach can be part of a profitable farm business and can inspire and motivate others by example, with a focus on practical solutions that support farm business goals as well caring for the environment.

Entries for the 2016 awards closed in September.