National shearing circuit: Close race in qualifying rounds

Invercargill shearer Nathan Stratford in action at Golden Shears in Masterton. Photo / Pete Nikolaison

A close race is developing for the top 12 places in the PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit semi-finals.

Just five points are separating nine shearers from 10th to 18th place ahead of the fourth leg, on lambs, at the 60th Rangitīkei Shearing Sports in Marton on Saturday.

The series is led by 2014 and 2022 winner, Southland shearer Nathan Stratford, who claimed maximum points in the first three rounds at Alexandra (merino), Waimate (full wool), and Christchurch (Corriedale) from September to November.

The final round will be on second-shear sheep at the Pahiatua Shears on February 25 and is compulsory for those hoping to reach the semi-finals and final at the Golden Shears in Masterton on February 29-March 2.

There, a six-shearer final will be shorn over 15 sheep, comprising three of each wool type in the series.

The series started with 27 shearers at the also-compulsory first round on September 30.

Chasing Stratford hardest are 2019 winner and current New Zealand Shears Circuit champion Paerata Abraham, of Masterton, King Country shearer Jack Fagan and 2021 winner Leon Samuels, of Roxburgh.

In eighth place is veteran Central Otago shearer and 1997 winner, merino (fine wool) specialist Dion Morrell.

Three-times winner Angus Moore, from Marlborough, did not enter the 2023-2024 series.

All 27 remain with at least mathematical hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals, including Matawai shearer Catherine Mullooly, who claimed three points for the 10th qualifying position on the merinos.

She did not compete at Waimate nor Christchurch, as she prepared for her January 10 assault on the world solo women’s eight-hour strong wool ewes record, in which her 465 beat a record set just three days earlier by 79 sheep.

She said afterwards she planned to contest the last two rounds to see how high up the list she could get, with no female shearer having qualified for the final stages of the circuit.

To put Mullooly’s achievement into perspective, the circuit has been contested annually as New Zealand’s premier all-wools event since it was introduced in 1972-1973 as the McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown, and is in its 22nd year with PGG Wrightson as the major sponsor.

The winner has automatic selection into the New Zealand transtasman series team.

Stratford and Samuels form the current team, which was beaten in South Australia in October, and will contest its home test at the Golden Shears.

Another busy weekend on the Shearing Sports New Zealand calendar starts with the Dannevirke A and P Show Shearing and Woolhandling Championships today, followed by three more on Saturday - the North Kaipara A and P Society’s Paparoa Show in Northland, the Rangitīkei Shearing Sports North Island Shearing and Woolhandling Championships, and the Reefton Shears in the South Island.

The 2023-2024 PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit

Provisional points and placings after three of five qualifying rounds:

Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 36pts, 1; Paerata Abraham (Masterton) 24pts, 2; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 21pts, 3; David Gordon (Masterton) 20pts, 4eq; Leon Samuels (Roxburgh) 20pts, 4eq; Duncan Leslie (Owaka) 16pts, 6; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 13pts, 7; Dion Morrell (Alexandra) 12pts, 8; Hugh De Lacy (Rangiora) 11pts, 9; Duncan Higgins (Blenheim) 10pts, 10eq; Stacey Te Huia (Mossburn) 10pts, 10eq; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 9pts, 12eq; Alex Smith (Rakaia) 9pts 12eq; Lionel Taumata (Gore) 8pts, 14; Corey Palmer (Dipton) 7pts, 15; Adam Gordon (Masterton) 6pts, 16eq; Willy McSkimming (Oamaru) 6pts, 16eq; Catherine Mullooly (Matawai) 3pts, 18eq; James Ruki (Piopio) 3pts, 18eq; Floyde Neill (Taumarunui/Boyup Brook W.A) 2pts 20eq; Corey Barrowcliffe (Piopio) 2pts, 20eq; Jake Rangiuaia (Mataura) 1pts, 21eq; Tom Reed (-) 1pt, 21eq; Norm Harraway (Mossburn) 1ts, 21eq; Chris Dickson (Raetihi/Masterton) 1pt, 21eq; Colin Dennison (Omaramara) 1pts, 21eq; Kyle Mita (Masterton) 1pts, 21eq.