Scots beat the Kiwis in first test at Lochearnhead

June 29, 2015

Scots beat the Kiwis in first test at Lochearnhead

From Doug Laing, media officer, Shearing Sports New Zealand

The New Zealand shearing team has had a narrow loss to Scotland less than 48 hours after arriving in the UK at the start of an eight-test tour.
Shearing at the Lochearnhead Shears, Dion King, of Hastings, and Tony Coster, of Rakaia, went down by just 2.275pts to scottish pair Hamish Mitchell and Callum Shaw.

Mitchell and King fought an exciting battle for time honours, World champion Scotland team, member Mitchell winning by three seconds and shearing his 16 sheep in 11min 12sec. Mitchell also claimed the best quality points on the shearing board, but King had the best result in pen judging.

Shaw, who won the Scotland championship at the Royal Highland Show a week earlier was next off iun 11min 52sec, but Coster took almost another minute, a points deficit of almost three points.

King and Coster, who only arrived in Scotland on Thursday with manager Ronnie King, reached the quarterfinals of the shears’ Scottish Blackface Championships, which provided one of the biggest Open-class results for young Te Kuiti shearer Jack Fagan, who was third to Mitchell in the final.

Yet to win an Open title, the son of shearing legend David Fagan has had other recent top placings in the UK. He was rapt to do so well in the higher level of competition, assisted by the New Zealand team, who were his pen-boys for the final.

Taumarunui shearer Guy Fraser won the Senior shearing final, backing-up the first win of his career scored just seven days earlier at the Roiyal Highland.
The next test of the tour is against Ulster in Northern Ireland on July 10, followed by two testst against England and four against Wales.

With Coster having to return home early because of other commitments, David Fagan will come out of his brief retirement to shear the last five of the tests.
Results:
International (16 sheep): Scotland 94.388pts (Hamish Mitchell, of Lochearnhead, 11min 12sec, 45.975pts’ Callum Shaw, of Saline, 11min 52sec, 48.413pts) beat New Zealand 9h6.663pts (Dion King, of Hastings, 11min 15sec, 46.875pts; Tony Coste, of Rakaia, 12min 50sec, 49.688pts).
Scottish Blackface Open Championship final: Hamish Mitchell (Lochearnhead, Scotland) 1, Simon Bedwell (Garve, Scotland) 2, Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti, New Zealand) 3, Nicky Beynon (Gower, Wales), 4.
Scottish Blackface Senior Championship final: Guy Fraser (Taumarunui, New Zealand) 1, Stewart Kennedy (Aberfeldy, Scotland) 2, Ross Gibson (Gartocharn, Scotland) 3, Alistair Shaw (Saline, Scotland) 4.
Open woolhandling: Leanne Bertram (Lockerbie, Scotland) 1, Nikki Gore (Golden Bay, New Zealand) 2, Kirsty Donald (Edzell, Scotland) 3, Millie Green (Hawick, Scotland) 4.
New Zealand team itinerary:
July 10 NISSA Shears, at Shane’s Castle, Northern Ireland
July 11 Lakeland Shears, at Cockermouth, Cumbria, England
July 14-15 Great Yorkshire Show, England
July 17 Cothi Shears, Wales
July 18 Lampeter Shears, Wales
July 20-23 Royal Welsh Show, Wales
July 24-25 Corwen Shears, Wales

ends

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