The Wools of New Zealand tour team (from left), Jack Fagan, Neil Fagan (manager) and Toa Henderson, seen here at the Great Yorkshire Show earlier in July. Photo / SSNZ
The Wools of New Zealand tour team (from left), Jack Fagan, Neil Fagan (manager) and Toa Henderson, seen here at the Great Yorkshire Show earlier in July. Photo / SSNZ
King Country shearer Jack Fagan has warmed up for his defence of the Royal Welsh Show’s open all-nations shearing title by winning the Welsh International Speed Shear, and a third place in the show’s novice bladeshearing.
The speed shear win came on Sunday in the electric atmosphere of the BuilthLivestock Market.
The venue is packed each year for the event, hosted by the Troedrhiwdalar Young Farmers Club, on the eve of the four-day show, which traditionally has gate figures of over 60,000 a day.
The runner-up was Welsh test team member Llyr Jones, and third was Merion Jones, who earlier in the night had pipped Fagan for the honour of fastest in the heats, where one of eight early red-light eliminations was Wools of New Zealand tour teammate Toa Henderson.
The next day, Fagan was in the six-shearer blade shearing final, with only the best helping in the pens in England blades legend George Mudge.
On Wednesday, Fagan and Henderson will shear in both the open competition and the second test of the series against Wales, having been beaten in the first test at the Cothi Shears on Saturday.
