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Kiwis triumph in shearing’s first Tri-Nations

Kiwis triumph in shearing’s first Tri-Nations

Fairlie farmer Tony Dobbs shears in the heats of the Old Errowanbang blade shearing championships today in Central NSW. The heat were shorn in a heritage-recognised 19th century woolshed, and the final took place soon afterwards in a marquee on the property.

New Zealand has won the Tri-Nations – at shearing and woolhandling.

The big win came when a team of two machine shearers, two blade shearers and two woolhandlers beat Australia and South Africa in the first event of its type at the Old Errowanbang Woolshed and Australian National Championships in Central NSW today(November 22).

The team included an all-South Island shearing sector of machine shearers Nathan Stratford, of Invercargill, and Colin ‘Mouse’ O’Neill, of Alexandra, and blades-men Tony Dobbs, of Fairlie, and Brian Thomson, of Christchurch. The two woolhandlers, both from the North Island, were Te Kuiti-based Keryn Herbert, from Te Awamutu, and Ronnie Goss, formerly of Kimbolton and now of Mangamahu Valey, Whanganui.

It was a big day for the Shearing Sports New Zealand team on the first day of the two-day championships, highlighted by the realisation of a dream for 52-year-old Fairlie farmer Tony Dobbs, who beat South African World champions Mayenzeke Shweni and Zweliwile Hans to win the Old Errowanbang Open blade shearing final.

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“I’ve been thinking of this for 20 years,” said Dobbs, a 1988 World champion who camer out of a retirement from competition last year to mount a challenge at this year’s World championships, held in Ireland in May.

“I thought I peaked in Ireland,” he said. “But they peaked better. I never, ever thought I would beat them. It was just a privilege to be here.”

Apart from the World championships, however, Dobbs has been unbeaten this season, winning three finals in New Zealand before the four-day transtasman trip.

Adding to the Kiw collection was Stratford’s effort in finishing second in the Old Errowanbang open machine shearing final, won by Australian shearing legend Shannon Warnest. Stratford was top qualifier for the final by a wide margin of more than 6 points.

The championships at Errowanbang, about 70km south of Bathurst, finish tomorrow (Sunday) with separate transtasman tests in machine shearing, blade shearing and woolhandling.

The shearing test, in which Stratford and O’Neill will be joined by Pongaroa farmer David Buick, marks the 40thanniversary of the first annual home-and-away series test between New Zealand and Australia in 1974.

Results:

Tri-Nations Challenge (machine shearing, blade shearing, woolhandling): New Zealand (machine shearers Nathan Stratford/ Colin O’Neill; blade shearers Tony Dobbs/Brian Thomson; woolhandlers Keryn Herbert/Ronnie Goss) 154.81pts, 1; Australia (machine shearers Shannon Warnest/Jason Wingfield; blade shearers John Dalla/Ken French; woolhandlers Mel Morris/Sarah Moran) 166.81pts, 2; South Africa (D.G.Snyman/ Abel Notsi; blade shearers Mayenzeke Shweni/Zweliwile Hans; woolhandlers Elna Kitching/Thomas Calldo) 187.47pts, 3.

Old Errowanbang Woolshed Open final (4 crossbred ewes and 4 second-cross lambs): Shannon Warnest (South Australia) 11min 31sec, 52.8pts, 1; Nathan Stratford (New Zealand) 11min 15sec, 58.5pts, 2; Damien Boyle (West Australia) 13min 39sec, 62.08pts, 3; Jason Wingfield (Victoria) 9min 24sec, 63.58pts, 4; Glen Stephens (Victoria) 11min 40sec, 64.63pts, 5; Wayne Hosie (New South Wales) 10min 36sec, 79.43pts, 6.

Old Errowanbang Woolshed blade shearing final (3 sheep): Tony Dobbs (New Zealand) 11min 49sec, 61.45pts, 1; Mayenzeke Shweni (South Africa) 11min 8sec, 63.4pts, 2; Zweliwile Hans (South Africa) 10min 53sec, 68.98pts, 3; John Dalla (South Australia) 13min 5sec, 78.58pts, 4; Ken French (Victoria) 15min 6sec, 81.3pts, 5; Brian Thomson (New Zealand) 13min 33sec, 84.98pts, 6.

ENDS


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