Whangārei A&P Show shearing entries a boost for competition in the north

Young North Otago shearer Tye Meikle won the first combined lower grades handicap event, pictured with Sir David Fagan (right), who won 6742 open shearing titles.

A new step to boost shearing competition entries in the Northland shows has proven to be an early success with more than 30 competitors shearing at the Whangārei A&P Show on Saturday.

The 36 entries, from 31 shearers, including veterans, were three times as many at the show in 2023, when there were just 11 shearers across all grades.

Shearing Sports New Zealand region delegate Richard Dampney said it augured well for the shows ahead, and with 12 learners having done a course in the area in October, he hoped more would take up the challenge.

Saturday’s was the first competition in Northland this summer, and will be followed by the Kaikohe A, P & H Show on January 18, the North Kaipara show at Paparoa on February 1, the Northern Wairoa Show on February 8 at Arapohue, Dargaville, the North Hokianga show at Broadwood on February 15, the A-grade Kumeu A and H Show on March 8, and the Warkworth A & P Show on March 15.

The opportunities in the north also include the Counties Shears in Pukekohe on February 16.

The features on Saturday were staging a new combined novice, junior and intermediate handicap event, instead of the separate grades, and open and senior speed shears.

The combined event, with eight shearers, was shorn in two grades, with novice competitors shearing one sheep, junior two sheep, and intermediate three sheep, with victory going to North Otago junior shearer Tye Meikle, currently working with a Waikato contractor.

Meikle claimed a $500 first prize and added the red ribbon to a quickly growing collection after the 16-year-old’s wins already this season at Ellesmere and Ashburton in the South Island and Stratford’s Taranaki Shears, in addition to a third placing in early October at national title event the Waimate Spring Shears.

On a fine day on Saturday, with temperatures in Whangārei up to 25C, Meikle shore his two sheep in the first round in 3min 37sec, while runner-up and intermediate competitor Danielle Boyd, of Dargaville, shore her three in 5min 13sec.

Also with the better quality points, Meikle won by a comfortable margin, in the last competition before the Christmas break.

New Zealand representative and Te Kuiti shearer Jack Fagan made the most of a 700km round trip of four hours each way to win the open final and the open speed shear.

They were effectively two-match races with Northland gun Toa Henderson, who had a 40-minute drive each way from Kaiwaka, but who seven days earlier had a 1000km round-trip to win at the Taranaki Shears.

Fagan had to rely on quality points in the pens to win by 0.45pts from Henderson who won the race by six seconds, shearing the 12 sheep in 9min 21sec.

This repeats a win Fagan had on the three-stand board when it was christened with Whangārei competition shearing’s revival at the show in 2020.

Former Hawke’s Bay shearer Phil Wedd, of Silverdale, was third.

In the senior final, Ruawai shearer Tommy Stevenson, who had four senior wins in the north last season, added another to the collection with victory by 1.07pts over well-travelled Waikato shearer John Cherrington, who has also won at Ellesmere and Stratford this season, and been fourth at both the Great Raihania Shears in Hastings and the Central Hawke’s Bay Show in Waipukurau.

Whangārei A&P Show Shears results

Barge Showgrounds, Saturday, December 7, 2024

Open final (12 sheep): Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 9m 12s, 36.1pts, 1; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 9m 21s, 36.55pts, 2; Phil Wedd (Napier/Silverdale) 11m 2s, 44.35pts, 3.

Senior final (Eight sheep): Tommy Stevenson (Ruawai) 8m 41s, 33.06pts, 1; John Cherrington (Ngāruawāhia) 8m 45s, 34.13pts, 2; Michael Boyd (Dargaville) 10m 46s, 41.56pts, 3.

Combined Grades (intermediate three sheep, junior two sheep, novice one sheep, two rounds): Tye Meikle (Oamaru) 40.8pts, 1; Danielle Boyd (Dargaville) 52.17pts, 2; Reese Warwood (-) 53.16pts, 3, Tess Berger (Ahuroa) 55.15pts, 4; Hautapu Mikaere (Te Awamutu) 55.59pts, 5.

Veterans (two sheep): Alan Bramley (Hikurangi) 2m 49s, 19.95pts, 1; Ralph Smith (Dargaville) 3m 40s, 20.5pts, 2; Lee Cheyne (Te Kauwhata) 3m 34s, 25.2prs, 3.

Open speed shear: Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 20.52s, 1; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 21.26s, 2; Dane Phillips (Kaiwaka) 22.82s, 3.

Senior speed shear: Gabriel Winders (Winton) 28.48s, 1; Kieran Gillespie (Cape Town/Surfdale) 28.92s, 2; Tommy Stevenson (Ruawai) 30.38s, 3.