Taihape's former world champion shearer Sheree Alabaster took a confidence-boosting step towards a possible return to the New Zealand World Championships team by beating her leading rivals in the Open final at the Wairarapa A&P Show on Saturday.
The former winner of the world title in Norway in 2008, 37-year-oldAlabaster left defending world champion Joel Henare of Gisborne as runner-up after the three-person final at the Clareville Showgrounds in Carterton.
Henare had headed the original field of 23 competitors as it was culled to six for the semi-finals, which proved the end of the road for defending Wairarapa A&P champion Keryn Herbert of Te Awamutu who in 2010 partnered Alabaster to a World teams' title in Wales.
Alabaster, Henare and Dannevirke's Rocky Hape-Taite made the final where each recorded 67 points on board judging.
Henare held an advantage on time and in selection of oddments, but Alabaster cleared the better fleeces to win by 10 points.
The event was the fourth of 10 in the selection series from which eight woolhandlers will contest the finals at the Golden Shears in Masterton in March.
Both the Golden Shears winner and runner-up are to represent New Zealand two months later at the World Championships in Ireland.
