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Thursday 4 March, 2010

A Name to Watch

HE ONLY shore his first sheep a couple of years ago but it looks like
Gisborne teenager Wi Poutu Ngarangione is well on his way to breathing
down the necks of shearing’s greats.

With a focus rarely seen in someone of his age, Wi entered his first
competition last year and has since dominated the intermediate division
in this season’s national shearing circuit.

Wi has won twelve of the thirteen shearing competitions he’s entered
since October last year. The exception was a competition in Raglan where
he was narrowly beaten by a shearer nearly three times his age.

Wi was top qualifier in the intermediate shearing heats this morning and
will move on to the semi-finals this afternoon. If he continues as he
started today, he’ll be well on his way to Saturday’s final.

And he doesn’t want to stop there. His vision is to one day be open
shearing champion.

Commentator at this year’s Golden Shears, Koru Mullins, said he would
like nothing better than to sit here in five years time and see Wi in
the open final. He said at this stage Wi has got plenty of skill and
shows a natural ability for the sport.

“He’s certainly dominated his class this season. He’s go natural talent
and he’s good with sheep.”

Unlike most other sports, shearing relies not only on handpiece
technique but also animal handling skills. According to Koru, Wi’s got
the touch with sheep, a calming effect that makes them that much easier
to shear.

“He’s also quite mature. He speaks well, he always thanks organisers and
sponsors, he’s good at the right things.”

Koru said it’s still a big step up into the open class for any shearer,
a step that is more challenging in terms of responsibility and physical
demands. But Wi is certainly making big steps in the right direction.

ENDS