Ngaio Hanson, who on Friday won an open woolhandling final for the first time, seen here seven days earlier when placed second for the ninth time in three seasons. Photo / SSNZ
Eketāhuna woolhandler Ngaio Hanson has had a stellar two years, representing New Zealand at the 2023 World Shearing and Wool Handling Championships in Scotland and again in this season’s transtasman test matches.
But it reached another level on Friday when she won the Danevirke A&P Show’s open final.
It was Hanson’s first open final win after years of trying, including nine second-placings in the last three seasons.
Those placings had rich rewards though, as a second placing in a world championships selection final at the Golden Shears in 2023 got her to Scotland later in the year, and her transtasman series position came after she was second in the North Island Woolhandling Circuit open final in March.
Preparing for a new world championships selection series, starting in Gore at the end of this week, there was a clear indication something big was about to happen last week when Hanson was runner-up at Taihape to another first-time open woolhandling final winner in Vinniye Phillips, of Taumarunui.
“Yup finally got it,” she said on Saturday as she was preparing for competition again, at the Rangitīkei Shearing Sports in Marton, where ultimately she missed out on a place in the six for the final, in which Phillips was again the winner.
Hanson’s win came at the show where sister Emaraina Braddick scored her first open woolhandling win in 2016, while another sister, Ana Braddick, joined the list of winners in the family when she claimed the Taihape A&P Show title last year.
Brother Hemi Braddick won his first open shearing title in 2022, after eight years of trying; while yet another sister, Marika, was third in both finals at the weekend.
It came during a big weekend in the lower North Island, in which 175 shearers and woolhandlers competed at Dannevirke, most then heading to Marton where the entries totalled 228, including 166 shearers.
The numbers now pose questions for organisers wondering how to handle even greater numbers next year, with hundreds of competitors from overseas gathering to either compete in or support the 2022 World Championships in Masterton.
Meanwhile, other leading Kiwi hopes for the New Zealand selection series (to decide two machine shearers, two blade shearers and two woolhandlers), were in winning form at Dannevirke and Marton.
Invercargill shearer, and 2017 world teams title winner Nathan Stratford, won a four-man final at Dannevirke, by three points from Reuben Alabaster of Taihape.
Stratford’s trademark quality more than compensated for finishing over two minutes after first-man-off Clay Harris, of Piopio, who sheared his 20 sheep in 14min 45sec.
On Saturday Pongaroa farmer David Buick, who had three wins in three days in mid-January, won the Rangitīkei title for the first time.
Buick won by 0.393pts from defending champion and Northland shearer Toa Henderson, who had won their race for time honours by just over seven seconds in shearing the 20 in 15m 12.81s.
Hawke’s Bay shearer and 2014 World Champion Rowland Smith was second to top qualifier from the heats to the semifinal at Dannevirke but missed a place in the final as he did also on Saturday at Marton.
Read more shearing and woolhandling stories here.
Smith recently resumed his career with two wins in late January after almost 11 months away from competitions, after missing a defence of the Golden Shears open title last March because of injury.
There was yet another big effort from Central Hawke’s Bay shearer Axle Reid, originally from Taihape, in being comfortably the top qualifier for the Marton final - although he had to settle for sixth place in the end.
While shearers from overseas were kept away from the other winning red ribbons after a succession of wins and other top placings in the last fortnight, there was more success for the southern hopes with Dre Roberts, of Mataura, winning the senior shearing final at Marton, after failing to make the semifinals in the senior event at Dannevirke 24 hours earlier, won by Daniel Seed, of Pahīatua.
The senior woolhandling finals were also shared, with Tatijana Keefe, of Raupunga, winning at Dannevirke, and Amy Bell, of Weber, winning at Marton.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Dane Phillips won the North Kaipara A&P Show open final at Paparoa for a second time in three years, while in the South Island, Paul Hodges travelled back from working in the North Island to dominate the lambs at the Inangahua A&P Show’s Reefton Shears to win its open final for a second time.
Hodges previously won the event in 2018 when he was in his second season in the open class.
Also at Reefton 2019 world blade teams champions Tony Dobbs, of Fairlie, and Hutt Valley-based Allan Oldfield, from Geraldine, got their bids for places at the world championships by finishing first and second respectively, in the first round of a selection series which ends in Christchurch in November.
The shearing sports season continues with the Aria Waitangi Day Sports on Saturday, with three competitions, including the long-established A grade show the Otago Shears Shearing and Woolhandling Championships at Carterhope Estate, Te Houka, south of Balclutha.
The other two competitions on Saturday are shearing-only events at the Northern Wairoa Arapohue and Te Puke A&P shows.
The New Zealand team machine shearing and woolhandling selection series starts at the Southern Shears in Gore on February 14-15.
Dannevirke A&P Show Shearing and Woolhandling Championships
Friday, January 31
Shearing:
Open final(20 sheep): Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 17m 7s, 61.95pts, 1; Reuben Alabaster (Taihape) 17m 9s, 64.95pts, 2; Gavin Mutch (Scotland/Dannevirke) 15m 18s, 69.6pts, 3; Clay Harris (Piopio) 14m 45s, 70.55pts, 4. Also: Aaron Haynes (Feilding) 5; Chris Dickson (Masterton) 6.
Senior final (20 sheep): Daniel Seed (Pahīatua) 11m 41s, 43.25pts, 1; Bruce Grace (Wairoa/Napier) 11m 17s, 43.35pts, 2; Callum Bosley (England) 11m 14s, 45.9pts, Pat Corrigan (Ireland) 11m 16s, 48.8pts, 4. Also: Mark Ferguson (Kahuranaki) 5; Jack Hutchinson (England) 6.
Intermediate final (5 sheep): Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 6m 34s, 28.9pts, 1; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora/Hastings) 7m 19s, 29.75pts, 2; Michael Buick (Pongaroa) 7m 32s, 31pts, 3; Ryka Swann (Wairoa) 6m 25s, 34.45pts, 4. Also: Lachie Cameron (Hunterville) 5; Paddy Dunne (Wicklow, Ireland) 6.
Junior final (3 sheep): Waiari Puna (Napier) 5m 7s, 21.35pts, 1; Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 5m 57s, 22.18pts, 2; Tom Clarkson (Martinborough) 4m 51s, 23.22pts, 3; Ashlin Swann (Wairoa) 6m 43s, 28.82pts, 4. Also: Sean Dunne (Ireland) 5; William Clarkson (-) 6.
Novice final (1 sheep): Alex Wrenn (Dannevirke) 2m 44s, 21.2pts, 1; Ben Solomann (-) 3m 51s, 21.55pts, 2; Mary Lucas Ridge (Chilmleigh, England) 3m 10s, 23.5pts, 3; Cam Henson (Woodville) 2m 47s, 28.35pts, 4.
Woolhandling:
Open final: Ngaio Hanson (Eketāhuna) 56.34pts, 1; Chelsea Collier (Hamilton) 57.4pts, 2; Marika Braddick (Eketāhuna) 61.28pts, 3. Also: Ana Braddick (Eketāhuna) 4; Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti) 5; Vinniye Philips (Taumarunui) 6.
Senior final: Tatijana Keefe (Raupunga) 61.66pts, 1; Te Whetu Brown (Wairoa) 72.34pts, 2; Ashleigh Ostler (Kimbolton) 80.69pts, 3. Also: Conan Harmon (Masterton) 4; Amy Bell (Weber) 5; Sonya Fagan (Otorohanga) 6.
Junior (final): Laura Bradley (Papatawa) 49.16pts, 1; Mere Maraki (Flaxmere) 50.13pts, 2; Gemma Buick (Pongaroa) 53.31pts, 3. Also: Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 4; Paige Marshall (Taumarunui) 5, Natalia Renata (Waipukurau) 6.
Novice: Jessica Will 67.88pts, 1; Piata Eruera (Eketahuna) 74.16pts, 2; Amber Marshall 74.41pts, 3; Jack Hutchinson (England) 82.66pts, 4; Opal Ramsay (-) 85.6pts, 5.
North Kaipara A and P Show Shearing Championships
Paparoa
Saturday, February 1
Open final (18 sheep): Dane Phillips (Kaiwaka) 16m 1s, 58.17pts, 1; Neville Osborne (Dargaville) 15m 35s, 55.86pts, 2; Phil Wedd (Silverdale) 58.17pts, 3. Also: Barry Jones (Pukekohe) 4.
Senior final (10 sheep): Kieran Gillespie (Mangawhai) 12m 54s, 45.8pts, 1; Graeme McDonnell (Warkworth) 14m 4s, 52.6pts, 2; Steve Coop (Wellsford) 14m 40s, 55pts, 3.
Combined final: Tess Berger (Ahuroa, Junior, 2 sheep) 4m 22s, 19.6pts, 1; Gus Berger (Ahuroa, Intermediate, 3 sheep) 4m 37s, 25.19pts, 2; Liam Smedley (Whangaroa, Intermediate, 3 sheep0 4m 26s, 27.3pts, 3.
Veterans (2 sheep): Jeff Wood (Ruawai) 2m 35s, 22.75pts, 1; Barry Jones (Pukekohe) 3m 26s, 23.3pts, 2; Steve Coop (Wellsford) 4m 21s, 24.09pts, 3.
Rangitikei Shearing Sports
Memorial Hall, Marton
Saturday, February 1
Shearing:
Open final (20 sheep): David Buick (Pongaroa) 15m 19.95s, 52.648pts, 1; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 15m 12.81s, 53.041pts, 2; David Gordon (Masterton) 16m 42.39s, 56.57pts, 3; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 17m 7.23s, 58.162pts, 4; Digger Balme (Ōtorohanga) 17m 6.2s, 59.651pts, 5; Axle Reid (Waipawa) 18m 18.91s, 62.196pts, 6.
Senior final (10 sheep): Dre Roberts (Mataura) 10m 34.03s, 39.002pts, 1; Tommy Stevenson (Ruawai) 11m 6.27s, 40.314pts, 2; Bruce Grace (Wairoa/Napier) 11m 16.16s, 42.608pts, 3; Daniel Seed (Pahiatua) 11m 35.23pts, 43.462pts, 5; Aiden Tarrant (Mapiu) 11m 32.48s, 44.724pts, 5; Cody Waihape (Gore) 11m 44s, 45.6pts, 6.
Intermediate final (5 sheep): Orlando Ratima (Hunterville) 6m 40.45s, 27.423pts, 1; Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 6m 48.2s, 27.801pts, 2; Heath Barnsdall (Aria) 7m 10.39s, 30.52pts, 3; Lachie Cameron (Pohangina) 7m 56.83s, 31.642pts, 4; Ryka Swann (Wairoa) 7m 8.52s, 32.826pts, 5; Luke Price (Wales) 7m 34.66s, 38.133pts, 6.
Junior final (5 sheep): Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 8m 34.86s, 32.143pts, 1; Sean Dunne (Wicklow, Ireland) 7m 49.03s, 34.052pts, 2; Riley Norman (Eketahuna) 8m 26.23s, 35.72pts, 3; Tom Clarkson (Martinborough) 7m 9.33s, 37.467pts, 4; Morgan Jones (Wales) 7m 58.5s, 37.935pts, 5; Joseph Scahill (Ireland) 7m 27.38s, 38.969pts, 6.
Novice (1 sheep): Chase Buckman (Bulls) 4m 2.89s, 19.145pts, 1; Amy McNeil (Scotland) 3m 13s, 19.65pts, 2; Hunter Wigglesworth (Marton) 23.791pts, 3; Jess Gooding (Featherston) 3m 40.2s, 24.01pts, 4; Cam Henson (Woodville) 2m 58.2s, 24.91pts, 5; Matthew Cuttance (Feilding) 2m 20.73s, 25.037pts, 6.
Woolhandling:
Open final: Vinniye Phillips (Taumarunui) 37.25pts, 1; Angela Stevens (Napier) 42.544pts, 2; Marika Braddick (Eketahuna) 43.28pts, 3; Chelsea Collier (Hamilton) 53.09pts, 4; Ricci Stevens (Napier) 66.54pts, 5; Jasmin Tipoki (Napier) 70.84pts, 6.
Senior final: Amy Bell (Weber) 52.77pts, 1; Chloe Henderson (Hunterville) 53.37pts, 2; Kelly Barrett (Kawhia) 54.47pts, 3; Cortez Ostler (Marton) 57.63pts, 4; Conan Harmon (Masterton) 57.982pts, 5; Tatijana Keefe (Raupunga) 67.06pts, 6.
Junior final: Mere Maraki (Flaxmere) 51.72pts, 1; Capree Wallace (Taihape) 52.56pts, 2; Jayda Mallanta (Te Kaha) 63.144pts, 3; Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 63.87pts, 4; Laura Bradley (Papatawa) 68.16pts, 5; Waiari Puna (Napier) 70.35pts, 6.
Novice: Ella Crofskey (Feilding) 47.326pts, 1; Piata Eruera (Eketāhuna) 56.318pts, 2; Jessica Kendrick (Feilding) 61.02pts, 3; Jess Will (Waituna West) 65.338pts, 4; Opal Ramsay (Pongaroa) 74.12pts, 5; Jennifer Murphy (Pongaroa) 83.43pts, 6.
Reefton Shears
Inangahua A&P Show
Saturday, February 1
Open final (20 lambs): Paul Hodges (Geraldine) 16m 22.66s, 59.33pts, 1; Justine Meikle (Oamaru) 16m 23.03s, 60.2pts, 2; Floyd Haare (Ohai) 16m 8.81s, 62.84pts, 3; Duncan Higgins (Blenheim) 19m 56.81s, 71.59pts. Also: Dave Brooker (Cust) 5; Nick Nalder (Takaka) 6.
Plate final (10 lambs): Dave Brooker (Cust) 10m 50.22s, 41.31pts, 1; Alex Clapham (England) 10m 23.28s, 41.86pts, 2; Nick Nalder (Takaka) 9m 46.5s, 43.33pts, 3; Richard Sampey (Blenheim) 12m 11.87s, 47.79pts, 4.
Senior final (8 lambs): John Cherrington (Oamaru) 9. 50.35s, 36.64pts, 1; Reuben King (Kaiapoi) 9m 21.15s, 40.06pts, 2; Mark Rogers (Brightwater) 12m 30.12s, 47.26pts, 3; Scott McKay (Clarence) 11m 36s, 47.93s, 4. Also: Brandon Hanson (Ohai) 5; Sam Hidgkinson (Tapawera) 6.
Intermediate final (6 sheep): Kimberley Whalon (Nelson) 10m 35.12s, 38.92pts, 1; Aaron Win (Reefton) 10m 25.68s, 43.62pts, 2.
Junior final (3 lambs): Tye Meikle (Ōamaru) 5m 12.84s, 20.98pts, 1; John Crichton (England) 8m 12.5s, 40.96pts, 2; Georgie Dickson (Hāwea) 9m 31.71s, 50.92pts, 3; Katie Hicks (Tapawera) 10m 5s, 54.92pts, 4. Also: Ashlee Blanchett (Foxhill) 5.
Classic (6 lambs): Chris Jones (Blenheim) 7m 20.16s, 32.84pts, 1; Sam Win (Reefton) 7m 29.44s, 40.97pts, 2; Frank Bint (Tapawera) 8m 15.2s, 41.76pts, 3; Jock Fitzpatrick (Seddon) 8m 26.22s, 41.14pts, 4.
Blades (5 lambs): Tony Dobbs (Fairlie) 14m 41.12s, 49.85pts, 1; Alan Oldfield (Geraldine/Hutt Valley) 14m 42.31s, 52.31pts, 2; Scott McKay (Clarence) 14m 49.93s, 57.09pts, 3; Phil Oldfield (Geraldine) 15m 31.54s, 62.57pts, 4. Also: Mike McConnell (Christchurch) 5; Tim Hogg (Timaru) 6.
Clean shear (2 lambs): Floyd Haare (Ohai, Open) 5pts, 1; Alex Clapham (England, Openn) 6.5pts, 2; Justin Meikle (Ōamaru, Open) 7pts, 3; Tye Meikle (Ōamaru, Junior) 7pts, 4.