Osborne back in winning circle at Paparoa

Osborne back in winning circle at Paparoa

Veteran Dargaville shearer Neville Osborne returned to winning form as he regained the North Kaipara A and P Show’s Open shearing title at Paparoa on Saturday.

Osborne, runner-up to Te Kuiti shearer Jack Fagan in the opening two shows of the Northland circuit, bounced back in the King Country shearer’s absence to win comfortably from runner-up Gary Rix, of Dargaville, in a four-man final of 12 sheep each, but in which time points were not kept because of a timing fault.

It was the fourth win in the event since 2010 and third in four years for Osborne, who has been an Open-class shearer for more than 20 years since winning the North Kaipara Senior title in 1993.

Osborne also shore in the Veterans event which attracted 8 shearers, and was won by 72-year-old Ralph Smith, of Dargaville.

Regular Northland shows Senior winner Jared Rountree, of Dargaville, became the third different winner in three Senior finals in the region this season. Off the scene last season, it was his 10th Senior win in the region in the last four years.

Alan Boler, of Wellsford, and Hazel Wood, of Ruawai, won the Intermediate and Junior finals respectively, each having won at Kaikohe a fortnight ago and finished second at Warkworth last week.

The next show in the region is the Northern Wairoa A and P Show at Dargaville next Saturday.

Results of the North Kaipara A and P Show Shears at Paparoa on Saturday, February 2, 2018:

Open final (12 sheep, no times taken): Neville Osborne (Dargaville) 13pts, 1; Gary Rix (Dargaville) 19.65pts, 2; Dan Phillips (Kaiwaka) 20.4pts, 3; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 21.6pts, 4.

Senior final (5 sheep): Jared Rountree (Dargaville) 9min 7sec, 40.75pts, 1; Paikea Waller (Dargaville) 8min 54sec, 40.9pts, 2; Lee Cheyne (Waitarimu) 9min 13sec, 41.25pts, 3; Steve Coop (Wellsford) 9min 9sec, 55.25pts, 4.

Intermediate final (3 sheep): Alan Boler (Wellsford) 5min 32sec, 24.93pts, 1; Courtney Flower (Dargaville) 5min, 30.67pts, 2; Jayden Mainland (Wellsford) 4min 57sec, 30.85pts, 3; Lewis Whitham (England) 5min 29sec, 34.12pts, 4.

Junior final (3 sheep): Hazel Wood (Ruawai) 9min 11sec, 41.88pts, 1; Danielle Boyd (Dargaville) 12min 10sec, 57.16pts, 2; Paul Finlayson (Kai Iwi Lakes) 6min 52sec, 68.27pts, 3; Shanelle Kemp (Maungaturoto) 9min 51sec, 85.21pts, 4.

Veterans final (2 sheep): Ralph Smith (Dargaville) 3min 33sec, 11.65pts, 1; Rusty Campbell (Dargaville) 5min 20sec, 15.5pts, 2; Neil Sidwell (Kaukapakapa) 4min 1sec, 19.05pts, 3; Neville Osborne (Dargaville) 2min 34sec, 23.7pts, 4.

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