Golden Shears 2025: Masterton prepares to host ‘biggest weekend of the year’

Wairarapa shearer David Buick in action at the Golden Shears. Photo / Pete Nikolaison

Thousands of visitors will flock to Wairarapa this week, as Masterton prepares to host the 63rd annual Golden Shears from Thursday.

Organisers are also gearing up for the 20th Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in 2026.

The Golden Shears is New Zealand’s premier shearing, woolhandling and pressing event.

First held at Masterton’s War Memorial Stadium in 1961, it has cemented the town’s reputation as the shearing capital of New Zealand.

About 380 competitors will participate in shearing, woolhandling and pressing grades from Thursday to Saturday.

Among this year’s highlights are the Mongolian shearing team – last year’s breakout stars – who return to Masterton, and Jack Fagan, fresh off winning the world’s largest cash shearing prize at the Oberton Quick Shear in Australia, who will compete in both the open shearing and Thursday’s Speed Shear event.

Golden Shears president Trish Stevens said the region was buzzing, with accommodation almost fully booked and anticipation building for an action-packed weekend.

“This is our biggest weekend of the year, and we’re excited to build on the Golden Shears’ iconic status as we prepare to host the World Championships in 2026, bringing teams from all over the world to Masterton,” Stevens said.

“We last hosted the event in 2012. Since then, the sport has seen major technological advances. This weekend, we’re rolling out a new timing system that will be used for the world championships, an elite sport that attracts the best of the best.”

WellingtonNZ Events and Experiences general manager Heidi Morton said the Golden Shears was a world-class event and a major economic driver for the region.

“Last year, it generated over 2500 visitor nights in the Wairarapa and more than $360,000 in visitor spending,” she said.

“On average, visitors spent $358 per person and with the world championships on the horizon, we’re expecting another fantastic year for Golden Shears.”

Thursday night’s events, including the Speed Shear featuring Golden Shears 2024 Open Champion Leon Samuels, are free to attend.

Tickets for the rest of the programme start at $10 for children and $20 for adults.

Find out more at www.goldenshears.co.nz.