Kiwis locked out again in Lochearnhead

MEDIA RELEASE

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

July 2, 2013

Kiwis locked out again in Lochearnhead

The New Zealand shearing team of Rowland Smith and Tony Coster has failed to break a Lochearnhead Shears jinx by being beaten by Scotland in the first of eight test matches on the 2013 Elders Primary Wool UK Tour.

The defeat at the weekend was the eighth consecutive Scottish victory over New Zealand at Lochearnhead since a Kiwi team last won there in 2003.

The contest was dominated by Hamish Mitchell who had the previous weekend won the Scottish National final to retain his place in the Scotland team for next year’s World Championships in Ireland.

Shearing his 15 sheep at the weekend in 9min 59sec, he was 39 seconds ahead of teammate Simon Bedwell, and more than a minute-and half quicker than either of the Kiwis, who arrived in the Northern Hemisphere only days before what was the only test against Scotland on the tour.

Mitchell also posted the best board and pen judging points, as Scotland won comfortably by more than 11 points.

Hastings-based Smith and brother Matthew also qualified for the four-man Scottish Blackface Championships open final, which was won by Bedwell. New Zealand-based Scotsman and World champion Gavin Mutch was second, and Matthew Smith, having been top qualifier from the semi-finals, was third.

Northlander Brya Harrison was third in the Scottish Blackface junior final.

The next test for Golden Shears and New Zealand Open champion Rowland Smith and his teammate from the South Island will be against England at the Lakeland Shears in Cockermouth, Cumbria, next weekend.

Results from the 2013 Lochearnhead Shears and Scottish Blackface shearing championships:

International (15 sheep): Scotland 83.25pts (Hamish Mitchell 9min 39sec, 39.68pts; Simon Bedwell 10min 38sec, 43.57pts) beat New Zealand 94.92pts (Rowland Smith 11min 38sec, 46.7pts; Tony Coster 11min 51sec, 48.22pts).

Open final (20 sheep): Simon Bedwell (Scotland) 12min 59sec, 47.35sec, 1; Hamish Mitchell (Scotland) 13mins, 48.65pts, 2; Matthew Smith (New Zealand) 13min 26sec, 51.45pts, 3; Rowland Smith (New Zealand) 14min 38sec, 54.3pts, 4.

Senior final (10 sheep): Dafydd Jones 9min 21sec, 38.45pts, 1; Scott Wilson 9min 5sec, 38.75pts, 2; Stewart Kennedy 10min 41sec, 41.25pts, 3; Sandy McKellar 9min 7sec, 41.55pts, 4.

Intermediate final (7 sheep): Alister Shaw 7min 30sec, 35.66pts, 1; David Gibson 7min 47sec, 37.35pts, 2; Brian Mundell 7min 55sec, 38.18pts, 3; Lewis Harkness 9min 51sec, 41.55pts, 4.

Junior final (4 sheep): Adam Karvo 5min 55sec, 22.33pts, 1; Adam Mitchell 5min 42sec, 24.03pts, 2; Brya Harrison (New Zealand) 7min 28sec, 27.06pts, 3; Jonathan Malloy 5min 40sec, 30.21pts, 4.

ENDS  

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