Golden Shears champion Rowland Smith was at it again when the New Zealand shearing championships were held at Te Kuiti over the weekend.
Smith, of Hastings, won the open final, shearing his 20 sheep in 16min 11.74s and recording 63.987 points. Second was Nathan Stratford with 66.476 points andthird David Buick of Pongaroa with 66.624 points. Others to make the final were Dion King (Hastings), Mark Grainger (Te Kuiti) and David Fagan (Te Kuiti).
The big talking point came in the semifinals where defending national champion John Kirkpatrick of Napier was eliminated. He has not finished further back than third in more than 30 competitions over the past year, apart from the national finewool championships in October, and was second favourite behind Smith on this occasion. Bryce Guy of Kaeo won the senior final with 54.169 points, with Hemi Braddick of Eketahuna fourth with 57.327 points and Steven Hanson, also of Eketahuna, sixth with 59.995 points.
Masterton's David Gordon won a Wairarapa-dominated intermediate final with 46.217 points. Runner-up was Phoenix Hawkins (Martinborough) on 47.53 points, third was Dylan McGruddy (Masterton) 47.53 points and fourth Ethan Pankhurst (Masterton) 50.248 points.
Another of the Guy brothers, Marshall, won the junior final with 36.722 points with Pagan Rimene (Masterton) placing fifth with 44.655 points. And there was further celebration for Wairarapa in the novice final, won by Matt McRae (Masterton) with 36.248 points. Laura Bradley of Woodville was second on 37.419 points and Blake Clinch of Eketahuna fourth on 45.022 points.
In the woolhandling, Samantha Gordon of Masterton was first in the senior final with 83.29 points and third was Pania Pawiri (Masterton) with 106.66pts. David Gordon was third in the junior final with 104.41.
The Shearing of Origin event saw the Wairarapa team of Nuki Gordon and David Buick score 36.969 points to take fifth place overall. Winners were the East Coast combination of John and Ian Kirkpatrick with 33.596 points.
