Top guns in charge in Golden Shears senior heats
MEDIA RELEASE
Top guns in charge in Golden Shears senior heats
February 28, 2014
The Golden Shears senior shearing championship is set for a tense finish tomorrow with all the top contenders having qualified for the morning’s semi-final.
Masterton-based Casey Bailey, from Riverton, headed the 18 qualifiers after the heats today, consistent with his form in winning nine consecutive finals in the Central North Island this summer.
But he has a match particularly in 2010 Junior winner, 2013 senior finalist and Mataura shearer, who recently completed a remarkable sequence of wins in five consecutive years through the junior to senior grades at the Otago championships in Balclutha.
The senior heats attracted 47 shearers, with Bailey producing the fastest time, and being one of only three to break eight minutes for the fie sheep. Almost 50 seconds slow, Roberts produced the best quality points both on the board and in the pens.
Unlucky to miss qualifying, by just 0.188pts, was Charlie Guy, who three years ago won the Novice title.
The top six from the semi-final will shear the final later tomorrow, as the 54th Golden Shears sets the scene for is glamour Open finals in the evening.
The semi-final qualifiers in order are: Casey Bailey (Masterton), Brett Roberts (Mataura), Cam Hicks (Marton), Robert Mudgway (Taihape), Kieran Devane (Australia), Sharnie Rimene (Masterton), Ethan Pankhurst (Masterton), Michael Rolston (Levin), Rowan Nesbit (Rangiora), Sam Bullingham (England), Dean Herlihy (Whangamomona), David Gordon (Masterton), Turi Edmonds (Raetihi), Cody Beck (Taumarunui), Jotham Rentoul (Nelson), Scott Wilson (Scotland), Chris Mills (Masterton), Gavin Kelly (Taihape).
ENDS