Troy Pyper is action at the Otago Shears in 2015. Photo / Supplied
Troy Pyper is action at the Otago Shears in 2015. Photo / Supplied
New Zealand representative Troy Pyper has scored his fourth win of the 2019-2020 shearing sports season with a successful defence of the Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears open title in Akaroa.
Pyper shore the 20 sheep in Saturday's final in 19min 10.35sec - 45 seconds faster than runner-up Ringakaha Paewai, of Gore- whom he beat by almost two points in the final count.
Hugh De Lacy of Rangiora was third and Shaun Burgess of Rakaia came fourth.
Originally from Invercargill and now based in Canterbury, Pyper was shearing in the first final since the traditional December break at the peak of the season in woolsheds throughout the country.
In a field of 11 which started in the heats, it became Pyper's fourth win of the season, following victories at Ellesmere in October and the Marlborough and Nelson shows in November.
He was also the top-performing New Zealander and second-placed individual overall in the three-a-side transtasman shearing test in Dubbo, NSW, at the end of November, auguring well for the rematch at the Golden Shears in Masterton on March 7.
Well-performed shearers coming through the grades dominated the three other finals.
The senior final was won by 2016-2017 number one-ranked intermediate shearer Liam Norrie, of Cheviot.
Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears junior final winner Chase Rattray, pictured at the New Zealand Spring Shears in Waimate in October. Photo/SSNZ
The intermediate final was won by Darfield shearer Sam Bryan, whose last win had been at the Amuri show in March 2018.
The junior final provided the third win in five finals for competitions newcomer Chase Rattray, of Ashburton.
Opening the season with fifth place at the New Zealand Spring Shears in Waimate, Rattray won at Rangiora and Ashburton before being runner-up at the NZ Corriedale Championships in Christchurch.
The season steps up next weekend with five competitions throughout the country, with the A-grade Northern Southland community shears on Friday, with woolhandling starting at 7.30am and shearing from 8am, both at Selby's woolshed at Five Rivers.
RESULTS of the Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears at the Duvauchelle A and P Show at Akaroa on Saturday, January 11, 2020:
