MEDIA RELEASE

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

October 28, 2012

Aussies on top in first shearing sports tests

New Zealand has suffered a double defeat in machine shearing and woolhandling tests against Australia in Warnambool, near Melbourne.

The Shearing Sports New Zealand team did however derive some success, with a victory to its two blades shearers denying Australia a cleansweep of the three matches at the Romney Shears, which also incorporated the Australian national championships.

Arriving in Australia just two days before the Transtasman Series first-leg matches, it was always going to be hard for the machine shearers, particularly Golden Shears and New Zealand Open champion John Kirkpatrick on the big Australian merinos which made-up half the contest in which three shearers from each country each shore 16 sheep.

But it was still a close affair with the South Australians Shannon Warnest and Nathan Meaney and West Australian Mark Buscomb winning by just two points from the black singleted team of Kirkpatrick, from Napier, and South Island shearers Angus Moore, of Ward, in Marlborough, and Chris Vickers, of Palmerston, North Otago.

It was Australia’s third test match win against New Zealand in a row, following two wins last year, in Masterton and Christchurch.

The woolhandling test was another memorable moment for West Australia-based New Zealander Aroha Garvin, the 2000 World champion who in Christchurch last year helped Australia to their first woolhandling test match win over New Zealand in 12 years, and who was third to New Zealanders Joel Henare and Joanne Kumeroa in this year’s World Championship final in Masterton.

On Saturday she was up against a different New Zealand team of 2008 World champion Sheree Alabaster, and Dannevirke woolhandler Rocky Hape-Taite, who is yet to win an Open competition final.

The woolhandling test was won by Brian Thomson, of Christchurch, and Tim Hogg, of Timaru, beating Australians John Dalla and Peter Artidge..

A blades test rematch is scheduled for the Canterbury Show next month, while the second leg of the annual Transtasman machine shearing and woolhandling series will be held at the Golden Shears in Masterton in March.

ENDS