Busy Herbert dominates Golden Shears heats

Busy Herbert dominates Golden Shears heats

The busy life of prolific woolhandling competitior, King Country farmer and mother Keryn Herbert may have just got a little bit busier after heading the qualifiers for the Golden Shears open woollhandling championship tomorrow(Saturday)in Masterton.

A field of 46 started in the heats on the second day of the 55th Golden Shears today, with Herbert heading-off event favourite and defending champion Joel Henare, who was second-to-top qualifier in what is expected to be his last event before moving to Australia.

The pair are among 16 who will contest the quarterfinal tomorrow morning, a field which will be cut to eight for the semi-final in the afternoon, and four for the Saturday-night showdown Herbert hopes will be her 17th final.

Originally from Te Awamutu, she is yet to win the most coveted title, despite 12 seasons in the Open class, dozens of wins, multiple tests for New Zealand along with a World teams title, and being acclaimed a Master Woolhandler by Shearing Sports New Zeaand.

She also last year won the Sporetsperson of the Year title at the Waitomo District sports awards in Te Kuiti.

Husband Corey Salmon, with whome she and daughter Ngahuia live on the Muriaroha property they manage near Waimiha, east of Te Kuiti, says she deserves the big one.

They run 2500 ewes and 200 cattle, and Salmon said: “She helps with everything. In between everything else she gets time to help me pout.”

Everything else includes four trips to compete in the South Island this summer, making her the most prolific woolhandling competitor in the country.

Along the way she’s met Henare six times in finals, without beating him once.

Third favourite and 2008 World champion qualified in third place, also still chasing a first Golden Shears Open title.

Surprise eliminations were Logan Kura, of Marton, and Eketahuna sisters Ngaio Hanson and Emaraina Braddick.

The qualifiers for the Primary ITO Open woolhandling quarterfinals at the Golden Shears tomorrowmorning(Saturday): Keryn Herbert (Te Awamutu), Joel Henare (Gisborne), Sheree Alabaster (Taihape), Foonie Waihape (Gisborne), Aria Mullins (Dannevirke), Monica Potae (Milton), Ronnie Goss (Mangamahu Valley, formerly of Kimbolton), Rockey Hape-Taite (Dannevirke), Sharni Graham (Masterton), Cushla Abraham (Masterton), Maryanne Baty (Gisborne), Candy Hiri (Mataura), Larnie Morrell (Masterton), Anita Phillips (Taumarunui), Anne-Maree Kahukura (Omakau), Leonora Smith (Gisborne).

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