Peninsula show kick’s off South Island shearing competitions

MEDIA RELEASE

From Doug Laing, media officer, Shearing Sports New Zealand

January 4, 2014

Peninsula show kick’s off New Year South Island shearing competitions

At least 40 competitors are expected for the South Island’s first shearing competition of the New Year at the Peninsula Duvauchelle Show next Saturday(January 10).

While some rain is forecast for Christchurch during the week, show competition organiser Phil Bremner is hopeful it won’t disrupt the busy shearing season too much and the competition will get the support of those working in the region.

Among them will be overseas shearers keen to add to the record of visitors who have succeeded at the small show over recent years.

While the big highlight was last year’s Open final win by New Zealand shearing great David Fagan, if Te Kuiti, shearers from overseas have had plenty to savour in the lower grades, with Norway, England, Ireland and Scotland all represented in the Senior, Intermediate and Junior winner’s circles over the last five years.

Among those out to extend the record this year will be Geraldine-based intermediate-class Chilean shearer Luis Pincol, who had his first win at the Nelson show in November.

But the holiday season means the competition, at the showgrounds at the head of the picturesque Akaroa Harbour – an “easy” hour’s drive from Christchurch, says Mr Bremner - will also have plenty of spectators from overseas.

About 450 second-shear ewes are being prepared for the competition, starting at 10am. Shearing will be in all four grades, a contractors’ teams event if there are enough sheep remaining, and a speedshear at the end of the day.

Mr Bremner says the outlook is “good”, and MetService is forecasting temperatures in the high 20s.

Remaining shearing competitions in the South Island this summer: Jan 10, Peninsular Duvauchelle Show, at Akaroa; Jan 16, Northern Southland Community Shears (includes woolhandling), at Lumsden; Jan 17, Golden Bay A and P Show, at Takaka; Jan 17, Southland Shears and New Zealand Crossbred Lambshearing and Woolhandling Championships, at Winton; Jan 24, Tapawera Sports Shears, near Nelson; Feb 7, Reefton A and P Show (includes blade shearing); Feb 13-14, Otago shearing and woolhandling championships, Telford farm, near Balcutha; Feb 20-21, 50th Anniversary Southern Shears (includes woolhandling), at Gore; Feb 21, Murchison Shears; Feb 28, Kaikoura A and P Show (includes blade shearing); Mar 7, Amuri Show, at Rotherham; Mar 14, Cheviot A and P Show (includes woolhandling); Mar 14, Mayfield A and P Show; Mar 15 Kowai Sefton Sports (includes blade shearing), at Sefton; Mar 21, Methven Lamb Shears, at Methven; Mar 22, Flaxbourne A and P Show, at Ward; Apr 4, Oxford Shears (includes blade shearing); Apr 6, Mackenzie Shears (includes blade shearing), at Fairlie.

ENDS

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