Drama at New Zealand Shearing Championships
Drama at New Zealand Shearing Championships
The New
Zealand Shearing Championships are guaranteed a dramatic
end in Te Kuiti tonight with men of the moment John
Kirkpatrick and Rowland Smith both qualifying for the Open
Championshop final.
Kirkpatrick, who in February won the
World title for the first time at the fourth attempt, was
top qualifier while fellow Hawke’s Bay gun, 2014 World
champion, Golden Shears champion and defending New Zealand
champion and Smith qualified fourth in a list which also
includes 2012 World and 2015 Golden Shears Champion and
Scotland international Gavin Mutch.
The other three in
the final of 20 second-shear sheep each are 2006 Golden
Shears and 2015 New Zeakand champion Dion King, of
Alfredton, near Masterton, local Te Kuiti hope Mark
Grainger, and Pongaroa farmer and shearer David
Buick.
Other features of the night include the New
Zealand Shears Circuit final of 10 ewes and lambs each, with
Kirkpatrick and Smith up against Southland shearers Nathan
Stratford and Troy Pyper, and Te Kuiti hopes Digger Balme
and Jack Fagan, of Invercargill, and the Open woolhandling
final in which Dunedi-based defending champion and World and
Golden Shears champion Joel Henare, from Gisborne, faces
former winners Sheree Alabaster, of Taihape, Hanatia Tipene,
of Te Kuiti, final newcomer Eramiha Neho, of Dannevirke, and
Australia-based Kiwi Jo Tarrant.
Smith has a
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