Shearing sports contribution recognised

Owaka woman Jude McNab has been recognised for her contribution to shearing sports.

Mrs McNab won the Federated Farmers contribution to the New Zealand rural sports industry at the Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards in Palmerston North.

She was secretary of the New Zealand Shearing Foundation, which was established to run the World Shearing and Woolhandling championships in Invercargill, and event manager for the championships.

In August, she was appointed secretary of Shearing Sports New Zealand. She also helped organise the Southern Shears and a speed-shear at the Southern Field Days at Waimumu.

The award was presented by Sir Brian Lochore and Federated Farmers vice-president Andrew Hoggard.

Rural sportsman of the year was champion shearer John Kirkpatrick, from Napier, while sportswoman of the year was tree climber Chrissy Spence of Morrinsville.