Kirkpatrick back in winning Shears form at Easter Show

March 27, 2016.

Kirkpatrick back in winning Shears form at Easter Show

Napier shearer John Kirkpatrick gave himself the ultimate all-clear in a season coming back from injury with a comfortable win in front of aver 600 people the Northern Shears Open final at the Royal Easter Show in Auckland today.

Missing almost all of last season with a shoulder injury and surgery, Kirkpatrick has this season battled in the shadow of World champion and fellow Hawke’s Bay shearer Rowland Smith.

But signs of an imminent reversal came on Saturday at the Waitomo Caves Shears when Smith won only on a quality points countback after the pair had featured in a rare tie.

But today in the big smoke Kirkpatrick was totally in charge, rocketing through the five-man final’s 20 ewes in 16min 43sec, 18 seconds quicker than Smith, the only other shear to finish in under 18 minutes.

Smith’s quality also suffered on the day, and he had to settle for fourth money, bowing to the cleaner-cutting Mark Grainger, of Te Kuiti, and Aaron Haynes, of Feilding, who claimed second and third places respectively.

Kirkpatrick said that while he has shorn more than 20 finals this season, the shoulder and arm hadn’t been stretching-out stretching-out as much as he needed, particularly when dwarfed by the two-metres tall Smith.

“It’s come right just at the right time,” he said, looking towards the New Zealand Shearing Championships which end the season in Te Kuiti next weekend.

Waikaretu shearer Kaleb Foot won today’s senior final, showing he’s in form claim a second New Zealand Championship, after winning the Intermediate final in Te Kuiti last year, Napier shearer Paraki Puna scored a good Intermediate final win today over a field that included Golden Shears winner Tegwyn Bradley, while Lincoln University student Mitchel Hoare, of Te Kuiti, won the Junior final.

Results from the Northern Sears at the Royal Easter Show in Auckland on Friday and Sunday March 25 and 27:

Open final (20 sheep): John Kirkpatrick (Napier) 16min 43sec, 62.95pts, 1; Mark Grainger (Te Kuiti) 18min 27sec, 66.65pts, 2; Aaron Haynes (Feilding) 18min 32sec, 68.1pts, 3; Rowland Smith (Hastings) 17min 1sec, 72.1pts, 4; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 21min 40sec, 79.8pts, 5.

Senior final (10 sheep): Kaleb Foote (Waikaretu) 10min 25sec, 41.45pts, 1; Whanake Whare (Taumarunui) 10min 34sec, 43.8pts, 2; Dylan McGruddy (Masterton) 12min 9sec, 44.45pts, 3; Darren Alexander (Whangamomona) 11min 51sec, 45.25pts, 4; Bevan Pere (Gisborne) 11min 22sec, 45.8pts, 5.

Intermediate final (7 sheep): Paraki Puna (Napier) 9min 27sec, 40.49pts, 1; Alan Boler (Wellsford) 10min 33sec, 43.65pts, 2; Lionel Taumata (Gore and Taumarunui) 10min 32sec, 44.8pts, 3; Ricci Stevens (Napier and Gisborne) 10min 49sec, 46.16pts, 4; Tegwyn Bradley (Woodville) 11min 16sec, 48.23pts, 5;

Junior final (5 sheep): Mitchel Hoare (Te Kuiti) 10min 13sec, 40.6pts, 1; Brandon Maguire-Ratima (Winton) 10min 17sec, 41.45pts, 2; Kelvin Welch (Waikaretu) 8min 40sec, 41.85pts, 3; Trent Hewes (Glen Murrey) 10min 4sec, 49.1pts, 4; Connor Puha (Kimbolton) 8min 42sec, 56.1pts, 5.

Novice final (2 sheep): Nathan Handley (-) 5min 26sec, 38.3pts, 1; Jimmy Steadman (-) 7min 56sec, 44.3pts, 2; Hannah Titford (-) 6min 20sec, 53pts, 3.

Veterans (3 sheep): Peter McCabe (Tauranga) 5min 45sec, 25.59pts, 1; Kevin Boyd (Kaikohe) 6min 9sec, 35.79pts, 2; Matt Mainland (Invercargill) 5min 58sec, 37.24pts, 3; Russell Knight (Apiti) 7min 15sec, 38.09pts, 4; Neil Sidwell (Kaukapakapa) 5min 35sec, 39.75pts, 5.

Teams events:

Transtasman (10 second sheer sheep – 3 merino, 7 crossbred): Northern Shears NZ 136.5pts (Keleb Foote, Waikaretu, 15min 40sec, 67.2pts; Sam Welch, Waikaretu, 16min 12sec, 69.3pts) beat Warrnambool Australia 149.85pts (Roger Mifsud 16min 6sec, 69.1pts; Corey Mifsud 18min 25sec, 80.75pts).

Cullen Family Trophy Inter-island (10 sheep): Northern Shears North Island 102.96pts (Tama Niania, Gisborne, 12min 29sec, 49.19pts; Sam Welch, Waikaretu, 13min 14sec, 53.77pts) beat Northern Shears South Island 104.98pts (Shaun Matheson, Riverton, 11min 40sec, 52.49pts; Andy Mainland, Invercargill, 13min 10sec, 52.49pts).

ENDS

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