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On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

November 15, 2013

Henare gets elusive Canterbury wool win

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World and Golden Shears champion woolhandler Joel Henare, of Gisborne, winning his first New Zealand Corriedale Championships open title at the Canterrbury Show yesterday (Thursday). PHOTO/BARBARA NEWTON

World and Golden Shears woolhandling champion Joel Henare grabbed one of the few titles to have eluded him in his young career with a crushing victory in the Open final at the Canterbury Show in Christchurch yesterday.

But, just turning 22 and already in his eighth season at the top level, the Gisborne star still had to bring the best of his woolshed skills to the competition board to claim one of the hardest-to-win titles on the Shearing Sports New Zealand calendar.

With a fleece and a bit left to process as Central Hawke’s Bay woolhandler Trish Moke shoved the last of her’s into the fadge, he was forced into the woolhandling equivalent of a last ditch dive to the tryline to avoid a time penalties hammering.

But the judges decided he already had the quality right and awarded him a win by 86pts over runner-up and 2010 winner Keryn Herbert, of Te Awamutu.

It was his fourth win in five finals this season, his only defeat being when runner-up to 2008 World champion Sheree Alabaster, of Taihape, at the Wairarapa A and P Show, and it was his 40th Open title, including the 2012 World individual and teams titles, and a 2010win at Australia’s Romney Shears in Warrnambool, Vic.

His 37 wins on the Shearing Sports New Zealand circuits have included titles at 18 different shows, as well as victories in the North and South Island circuit finals.

Highlighting the toughness of the Canterbury contest, each of the three finalists working two shearers on the competition rarity of coarse corriedale wool, Henare became the ninth winner of the event in the last 10 years.

Herbert’s five finals at the show are more than any other woolhandler in the last decade, and she was also the only finalist who had reached the finals of either of the two previous woolhandling contests in the South Island this season.

Meanwhile, Alexandra woolhandler Juliette Lyon claimed her second title of the season, having also won on the long strongwool of the New Zealand Spring Shears in Waimate last month. The Junior final was won by Leah Reuben, of Rangiora.

The championships were ending today with the shearing events, including the Open final won in the last two years by visitors from across the Tasman, last year by Australia-based New Zealander Jason Win and in 2011 by former World champion and multiple Australian champion Shannon Warnest.

Results from the first day of the New Zealand Corriedale Shearing and Woolhandling Championships at the Canterbury Show:

Open final: Joel Henare (Gisborne) 196.25pts, 1; Keryn Herbert (Te Awamutu) 282.5pts, 2; Trish Moke (Waipawa) 325.97pts, 3.

Senior final: Juliette Lyon (Alexandra) 148.25pts, 1; Daine Rehi (Te Teko/Christchurch) 195.09pts, 2; Sarah Higgins (Havelock) 235.46pts, 3.

Junior final: Leah Reuben (Rangiora) 170.48pts, 1; Annette Hohepa (Hawke’s Bay) 237.21pts, 2; Nadine Smith (Rangiora) 247.18pts, 3.

ENDS