WINNER: Sheree Alabaster competes in the open woolhandling heats.
WINNER: Sheree Alabaster competes in the open woolhandling heats.
The fleece was flying furiously at the Pre-Shears Woolhandling Championships Wairarapa held at Riverside Farm yesterday.
Sheree Alabaster of Taihape took out the open title in the warm up event for the three-day Golden Shears world premier championship that starts today.
Emaraina Braddick was second, followed by Ronnie Goss ofKimbolton and fourth, Joel Henare of Gisborne.
Hannah Spiers of Eketahuna won the junior title and Jimmy Samuels of Marton, the senior.
The North Island Woolhandling Sports Circuit was also held with Connor Puha of Kimbolton taking out the senior final and Chonelle Kawana taking the junior top spot.
President Mori Gibbs said it was not just a warm-up, but an event to promote Wairarapa wool handlers and encourage them to compete in shows locally and nationally.
She said the event was in its 14th year and it had grown a lot since it began, with 70 to 100 volunteers involved and support from sponsors - including farmers and businesses.
Mrs Gibbs had expected Alabaster, Kawana, the Braddick sisters, Keryn Herbert, and Joel Henare to be top performers. "It's hard to pick, they are all extremely good at what they do, they are precision athletes."
