Axle Reid wins Oxford A&P Show open final as shearing sports season ends

Axle Reid, seen here competing in 2020, won the Oxford A&P Show open final on Saturday. Photo / Shearing Sports New Zealand

North Island shearer Axle Reid won the open final at the Oxford A&P Show on Saturday, finishing almost three points clear of North Canterbury local Blake Crooks.

The victory capped a successful run of five South Island A&P shows for Reid and brought the 2025-26 shearing sports season to a close.

It was Reid’s second win on the sojourn, having opened with victory at the Cheviot Show on March 14.

He was then runner-up in both the Methven and Flaxbourne finals on the weekend of March 21-22 and finished fifth in the Mackenzie Show lambs final on Easter Monday.

Meanwhile, J.P. Bouyer, also from the North Island, broke through for a senior win after seven minor placings in South Island finals during the season, including being runner-up at Banks Peninsula, Reefton and Methven.

Jah Smith, of Christchurch, won the intermediate event, and Mike Toshach, of Oxford, claimed his third junior win in recent weeks.

As expected at the late stage of the season, entries were light.

Many competitors and supporters had dispersed after the World Championships on March 4-7, either returning home, heading overseas for other shearing seasons or attending the New Zealand Shears in Te Kūiti.

There were just 19 shearers at Oxford (nine in the open grade, five senior, three intermediate and two junior) and competitors were guaranteed at least two shears, with preliminary stages run as double-round heats.

Along with the New Zealand Shears in Te Kūiti, it ended the Shearing Sports New Zealand season, which comprised 56 shows: 29 in the North Island and 27 in the South Island.

The 56 shows included 12 stand-alone shearing sports events, 39 at A&P Shows, and five were at country sports days or community events.

All but one included machine shearing and 23 included woolhandling competitions.

Nine included blades shearing – eight traditional competitions in the South Island, plus the All-Nations during the Golden Shears and World Championships.

One show included wool pressing.

Oxford A&P Show Shears results

Saturday, April 11, 2026

Open final (12 sheep): Axle Reid (Taihape/Waipawa) 12m 22.4s, 45.87pts, 1; Blake Crooks (Rangiora) 12m 51s, 48.72pts, 2; Shaun Burgess (Rangiora) 12m 55.66s, 53.45pts, 3; Murray Johnston (Greta Valley) 13m 55.09s, 53.75pts, 4.

Senior final (8 sheep): J.P. Bouyer (Flaxmere) 10m 11.44s, 44.07pts, 1; Zion Smith (Christchurch) 1m 0.97s, 45.92pts, 2; Tom Philp (Waikari) 12m 17.06s, 59.85pts, 3; Sam Bryan (West Melton) 12m 22.91s, 66.4pts, 4.

Intermediate final (6 sheep): Jah Smith (Christchurch) 11m 25.22s, 49.76pts, 1; Michael Matthews (Oxford) 12m 55.06s, 63.09pts, 2; Greg Sampey (Waipara) 13m 10.94s, 65.71pts, 3.

Junior final (3 sheep): Mike Toshach (Oxford) 6m 10.65s, 29.2pts, 2; Logan McCartney (Ashburton) 6m 53.94s, 55.03s, 2.