50th annual Waimate Shears a huge drawcard

Jack Fagan switches on the shearing machine for his father, Sir David Fagan, halfway through the Waimate Shears "father and son" event. Photo / Sally Brooker

The 50th annual Waimate Shears proved a huge drawcard for the town on October 13-14.

Organising committee president Warren White rated the event "nine and a-half'' out of 10.

Executive officer Eileen Smith said it was "a great weekend''. While the number of competitors was on a par with other years, crowd numbers were well up thanks to the golden anniversary and new amenities.

A million-dollar pavilion was finished ahead of time.

When the Shears' former building was demolished to make way for the Waimate Event Centre, the committee joined forces with the Southern Canterbury A&P Association to build the 900sq m structure at the Waimate Showgrounds. The two groups had just two years to raise the funds and complete the project.

About 200 people attended a dinner on the night before the Shears. They included eight shearers who made the inaugural finals in 1967.

"Seeing so many old faces there ... it was a special night,'' guest speaker Sir David Fagan said.

Mr White was made a life member and had the honour of shearing the first sheep on the new board.

"I wasn't expecting that,'' he said.

Feedback from the shearers and woolhandlers was "all positive'', Mr White said.

The A&P Association was also pleased with the publicity it gained for its coming show.

The Waimate Creative Fibre Group, which demonstrated woolcrafts during the Shears, received so much interest it would offer items for sale next year.

Sir David said the event and its new pavilion was "a real credit to the committee and Warren White, and also the Waimate community and the A&P Association''.

"It's an example to the rest of the country. Lots of these competitions have folded. It's too easy to let these things go.''

His son, Jack Fagan, of Te Kuiti, who won the Open Invitation Plate shearing, said the pavilion was "one of a kind''.