The competition featured six students in the shearing final and six in the woolhandling final.
Many at the school are involved in agriculture and were able to safely and effectively handle the most unruly of sheep.
Coming from the hall’s stage was the mechanical hum of two electric shearing plants, donated by a former student.
Beyond that were pens of romney-cross lambs bleating as they waited for their turn under the bright lights.
Boarder Mac Foreman, from Pahīatua, was the youngest competitor and one of the first up.
He said he was happy to make his debut appearance in the final.
“This is my second year shearing this year.
“Just on the farm watching the shearers in the shed, and just how much money they make, made me motivated to start.”
He learned his skills in school courses and from his father.
“Once you’ve shorn a few, you just get used to it.”
One of the experienced shearers in the next pairing was 17-year-old Harry Dickson, who hails from Āpiti, near the Ruahine range.
Some of the boys are already earning good money as they work during their school holidays.
They come from rural locations in Wairarapa, Manawatū and King Country.
This year’s finalists were Alex Wrenn and Taumarunui’s AJ Hall, battling it out on the boards.
Brute strength is required to drag the sheep out to the shearing stand. Photo / RNZ, Penny Miles Going blow for blow, the boys each sheared three sheep, one more than in the preliminary rounds, watched by the judges.
Hall, 17, is ready for a career on a sheep and beef farm as a shepherd. He achieved his best result of runner-up.
And what’s the secret to competition shearing?
“Just focus, really, just focus on the sheep,” Hall said.
His sheep were easy to handle until the final one was dragged through to the stand.
“The last one was a bit sticky and just a bit kicky, and I cut it on the flank.
“I knew I was out.”
Feilding High School's Alex Wrenn in a moment of focus at the school's Shearing and Woolhandling Championships. Photo / RNZ, Penny Miles Wrenn said: “It was a bit of a buzz in front of the school, but you just had to stay calm.
“After that first sheep, I had a bit of catching up to do because I went to the pen at the same time as him [Hall].
“I knew I’d have to try and get a few time points up my sleeve.”
Wrenn was judged the winner as the boys lined up on the stage for photos.
Judge Flash Duxfield, from Woodville, said he was looking for tidy work against the clock, with no cuts or nicks.
The woolhandling judge was Gail Haitana, from Bulls, who watched keenly as the six girls each worked to sort the wool.
The finalists were Anna Harre and Aria Cameron. Harre, 15, from Taihape, was the winner for the first time.
She said the nerves were “scary”.
“Maybe I’ll do some more shows in the future, I love it.”
School breeds shearers and athletes Entry to the contest was by gold coin donation, and there were no empty seats. Photo / RNZ, Penny Miles Feilding High School has been a breeding ground for some of the country’s top shearers.
Black Ferns women’s rugby player Sarah Hirini became a champion shearer at the school.
The rugby-playing Whitelock brothers, Sam, George and Luke, who all have agriculture in their bones, were also students there.
The school’s agriculture teacher, Kain Nixon, said: “A lot of our older kids are here competing, and they’ll leave school at the end of the year.
“The quality is just getting better and better.
“This year, we had two sheep for the semis and three for the finals, which is a reflection of the calibre.”
He loves what he’s doing and says he won’t be going anywhere soon.
His students are lining up for the shearing programme.
“Shearing is a craze at the moment, everyone wants a handpiece and to see if it’s for them.”
He’s encouraging the next group of students to “give it a go”.
Stratford High School in Taranaki recently added an agricultural course , giving students the chance to get hands-on experience of farming.
- RNZ
