Fabulous Fagans 16th title

Shearing's miracle man David Fagan has bounced back to the top of the world clinching his 16th Golden Shears championship in what was a sensational and action-packed final.
Just when pundits were beginning to believe the Te Kuiti tiger was beginning to feel his age he is 47 and would be permanently handing back the mantle of champion to the younger brigade, Fagan dashed their beliefs with a brilliant performance to snatch victory by the barest of margins from Stratford's Paul Avery.
The final on Saturday night was a sensation before it even began with the shock exclusion of reigning shears champion, and TAB favourite, John Kirkpatrick.
Kirkpatrick was knocked out in the semi-finals, the result of a single error that cost him dearly when pen judges penalised him on points and stripped away his chances of lining up in the final.
Despite the absence of Kirkpatrick the final was a cracker, an observation made by Fagan who put it on a par with his previous favourite shears win, his 10th in 1998.
On the victory dais the normally reserved Fagan could not contain his delight, and astonishment, at being back there as kingpin. "I don't believe it, I really don't. Holy Hell, I am lost for words."
Holding the magnificent shears trophy aloft Fagan dubbed it "sweet sixteen".
"I have been wanting to say that for a long time."
The 16th win came after four years away from Golden Shears top honours as Fagan last won the title in 2004, although he has competed every year since.
His win brought a tremendous ovation from the near-capacity crowd who roared their approval of the judge's final placings that, until the announcement, had the result poised on a knife edge, such was the closeness of the final.
As it was only a fraction of a point separating Fagan from Avery, with a similar slender margin to third placegetter Dean Ball. They were followed by the flying Scotsman Gavin Mutch, Jerome McCrea and Dion King.
In the head-to head clash to shear the 20 second-shear sheep the lead see-sawed in the early part between McCrea, King and Fagan.
King refused to bow to Fagan and the pair were locked in a speed battle right to the final whistle.
With sweat flowing freely, the old master and King entered the pens for their final sheep virtually on par with Fagan first off the board by a blink of the eye.
But it was the quality points that clinched the win for him and sorted the five other contestants into their final finishing order.
The win netted Fagan a cheque for $3000, secured him a place in the New Zealand team to shear in Australia, a Supershear handpiece and products and the Royal Agricultural Society Gold Medal Award.
As Fagan enjoyed the moment, John Kirkpatrick reflected on what might have been, but held no grudges and declared his intentions to be back better than ever next year.
In the semi-final Kirkpatrick had finished fourth on time and had second best board points but a significant cut to the seventh of his 10 sheep cost him dearly.
Pen judges hammered the error and consigned Kirkpatrick to shearing in the remaining lesser events and to watching his fellow top guns fight out the final.
The likeable Napier shearer's attitude to his elimination was "that's shearing for you". "One bad cut knocked me out.
"When you get to the semis everything has to go right, there is no room for error and I made one."
Kirkpatrick said the sheep he cut was not a kicker and was a quiet animal. "The mistake was all mine."
He is not going to dwell on what happened and said he has already set his sights on next year's Golden Shears.
Not only is he dead keen to be part of the 50th celebrations, he also wants to be on top of his game throughout the season to secure a trip to Wales with the New Zealand team.
His wife Raylene, who is her husband's greatest fan and a tower of strength to him, afforded him a kiss after his shock omission and a declaration of her love.
Jokingly she said at first she had been torn between kissing him on the cheek or kicking him up the backside, but she chose the former.