Veteran Jones bounces back at Nelson Show

MEDIA RELEASE

From Doug Laing, Media Officer, Shearing Sports New Zealand

November 21, 2016

Veteran Jones bounces back at Nelson Show

Veteran Marlborough shearer Chris Jones scored his best win in three years when he won the Open final at the Nelson A and P Show shearing championships at Richmond Showgrounds on Saturday.

Pictured shearing at the Canterbury Show on November 11, Jones last won the Nelson final in 2013, one of five wins that season, and had since had just two wins at Golden Bay and one at Murchison.

His win on Saturday by just under a point from runner-up Nick Nalder, of Takaka, came with the best mix of points. Jones had just second-best time points, second-best board points, third-best pen points, and third-best quality points overall.

Nalder was first to finish the 14 sheep, beating Jones by all-but a full sheep, Dave Brooker, of Hawarden, had the best pen points but claimed just third place, and Paul Hodges, of Geraldine, had best board points but had to settle for fourth place in his first Open final.

Brooker had been top qualifier for the final from the eight in the heats.

Just four contested the Senior event, but it was close with Hugh De Lacy, from Rangiora, scoring by just 0.74pts from Marlborough show winner Alex Drake, of Blenheim. Mongolian World Championships entry Enkhnasan Chuluunbaatar, of Takaka, was top qualifier from the heat, but was fourth in the final.

Sarah Higgins, of Havelock, backed up her New Zealand Corriedale Championships win in Christchurch by winning the Intermediate final by almost four points from runner-up Mitchell Murray, of Amberley.

Liam Norrie, of Cheviot, showed the experience of a busy first two months by winning the Junior final by a wide margin, despite finishing half-a-minute after first-man-off Tom Curnow, of Wakefield, who shore the four sheep in just under 9 minutes. It was Norrie’s fourth win in six finals.

Results from the Nelson A and P Show Shears at Richmond Park, Nelson, on Saturday, November 19, 2016:

Open final (14 sheep): Chris Jones (Blenheim) 16min 35.97sec, 65.58pts, 1; Nick Nalder (Takaka) 15min 31.47sec, 66.57pts, 2; Dave Brooker (Hawarden) 17min 20.16sec, 66.72pts, 3; Paul Hodges (Geraldine) 18min 21.06sec, 69.7pts, 4.

Senior final (6 sheep): Hugh De Lacy (Rangiora) 9min 9.5sec, 47.64pts, 1; Alex Drake (Blenheim) 9min 40.84sec, 48.38pts, 2; Mark Rogers (Brightwater) 10min 57.09sec, 51.85pts, 3; Enkhnasan Chuluunbaatar (Mongolia/Takaka) 10min 50.15sec, 54.67pts, 4.

Intermediate final (5 sheep): Sarah Higgins (Havelock) 10min 52.37sec, 48.42pts, 1; Mitchell Murray (Amberley) 10min 35.54sec, 52.38pts, 2; Duncan Higgins (Havelock) 13min 13.12sec, 66.86pts, 3.

Junior final (4 sheep): Liam Norrie (Geraldine) 9min 29.32sec, 51.97pts, 1; Tom Curnow (Wakefield) 8min 59.29sec, 90.71pts, 2; Sam Horner (Christchurch) 11min 21.12sec, 106.56pts, 3; John Wyllie (Puponga) 10min 58.15sec, 157.91pts, 4.

Ends

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