Close shave expected at shearing rankings

Close shave expected at shearing rankings

Some close results are expected as the Shearing Sports New Zealand annual rankings are decided over the last two weekends of the season.

The rankings are based on points for placings throughout the season, with six competitions remaining in the busiest and most compact end to the season in many years.

In the North Island there is shearing at the Royal Easter Show in Auckland on Friday and Sunday, the Waitomo Caves Shears in King Countryon Saturday and the New Zealand Championships in Te Kuiti next week (March 31-April 2, while in the South Island, the Flaxbourne A and P shearing is on Sunday at Ward in Marlborough, the Mackenzie Shears are in Fairlie on Monday, and the Oxford Shears in North Canterbury are the following Saturday, April 2.

Competition is particularly close in the shearing classes, including the Open where Napier shearer John Kirkpatrick, whose nine years topping the rankings include eight in a row from 2007-2014, is seriously challenging for a return to the top after missing most of last season with injury.

Kirkpatrick has scored consistently from reaching 20 finals, but has scored just two wins, while fellow Hawke’s Bay shearer Rowland Smith who has had 17 wins in 19 finals and currently leads the race.

Points are awarded to a maximum of 12 for winning an A grade show, 8 for a B grade competition and 6 in a C grade event, and while dominating major contests, including winning the Golden Shears Open, Smith’s wins include five in B and C grade events.

Points are close in at least two other shearing classes, while top rankings are all-but decided in the three classes for woolhandlers, whose only competition remaining is the national championships.

The top-ranked competitors over the last five years are:

Shearing:

Open: 2011 John Kirkpatrick, 2012 John Kirkpatrick, 2013 John Kirkpatrick, 2014 John Kirkpatrick, 2015 David Fagan.

Senior: 2011 Matene Mason, 2012 Tysson Hema, 2013 Jack Fagan, 2014 Casey Bailey, 2015 Ethan Pankhurst

Intermediate: 2011 Jack Fagan, 2012 Bryce Guy, 2013 David Gordon, 2014 Catherine Mullooly, 2015 Kaleb Foote.

Junior: 2011 Bryce Guy, 2012 Charlie Guy, 2013 Marshall Guy, 2014 Josh Balme, 2015 Laura Bradley.

Woolhandling:

Open: Joel Henare, 2011, Keryn Herbert, 2012 Keryn Herbert, 2013 Keryn Herbert, 2014 Joel Henare, 2015 Keryn Herbert.

Senior: 2011 Sharni Graham, 2012 Cushla Abraham, 2013 Samantha Gordon, 2014 Juliette Lyon, 2015 Ana Braddick.

Junior: 2011 Kylie Laris, 2012 Anne Marie Kahukura, 2013 David Gordon, 2014 Erica Reti, 2015 Chiquita Tamepo.

ENDS

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