Down in the valleys shearing at Apiti for Welsh test

Down in the valleys shearing at Apiti for Welsh test

The remote northern Manawatu farming locality of Apiti has been named as one of two venues for the upcoming Elders Primary Wool Shearing Series test matches between New Zealand and Wales.

The match on February 28 will be the last New Zealand representative appearances for Te Kuiti shearer David Fagan, who first shore for New Zealand 30 years ago. He will retire from competition shearing at the New Zealand championships in Te Kuiti in April.

While the Gore test will be indoors, the Apiti test will be on an open-front stand at the Apiti Domain, at a sports day which dates back to an athletics and horse sports event first held in 1895.

The Domain is on Oroua Valley Rd, just south of Apiti and about 40km north of Feilding.

Shearing Sports New Zealand charman Gavin Rowland confirmed the venues this week, and that the second test would be held at Apiti, not at Pahiatua where it was initially scheduled to take place the following day.

Mr Rowland said the shearing industry and sport is based around small-town New Zealand, and added: “It’s a great occasion for these areas to see international sport in their own back-yard. I’m sure Apiti and the people of Manawatu and surrounding areas will welcome this chance to see an Elders Primary Wool Series test, and, of course, the last test match in the career of David Fagan.”

He and Rakaia shearer Tony Coster, who replaces injured Napier gun John Kirkpatrick, will shear against Welsh shearer-farmers Gwion Evans and Rhys Jones, who last weekend beat a Top of the South team in Reefton, their first win in three provincial matches on tour.

Results of the three matches on the Wales Shearing Team tour of New Zealand to date:

January 17, Tauranga, 10 sheep: Tauranga Shears Selection 94.84pts (Paerata Abraham 11min 5.2sec, 47.26sec; Mark Grainger 10min 21.6sec, 47.58pts) beat Wales 101.78pts (Gwion Evans 10min 43.4sec, 48.17pts; Rhys Jones 11min 6.1sec, 53.605pts).

January 25, Rotorua, 12 sheep: Geyserland Shears Invitation 95.4pts (Murray Henderson 11min 48sec, 45.483pts; Jack Fagan 12min 50sec, 49.917pts) beat Wales 105.62pts (Gwion Evans 12min 19sec, 51.95pts; Rhys Jones 12min 45sec, 53.667pts).

February 7, at Reefton, 15 sheep: Wales 114.455pts (Gwion Evans 14min 44.75sec, 55.971pts; Rhys Jones 15min 9.69sec, 58.485pts) beat Top of the South 132.463pts (Chris Jones 15min 36.9sec, 62.578pts; Richard Sampey 15min 51.03sec, 69.885pts).

Remaining matches are: February 21, v New Zealand (first test), at Gore; February 27, v Taumarunui Jamboree Shears Team, at Taumarunui; February 28, v New Zealand (second test), at Apiti.

ENDS

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