Kiwis wins shearing series

Kiwis’ shear whitewash no big blow for Welsh guns

A 5-0 loss to New Zealand in the CP Wool Shearing Series has done nothing to dampen the spirits of the Welsh team which wants to come back next year for more.

But a win would be nice, team manager Martyn David said after the series was wrapped-up with two matches at Apiti and Pahiatua over the weekend.

New Zealand shearers Dion King and Tony Coster beat Welsh guns Richard Jones and Gwion Evans, Welsh shearers by just under four points on Saturday, while yesterday, with Coster having to withdraw and being replaced by World champion Rowland Smith, the margin was stretched to almost 10pts, easily the widest of the series.

Mr David will manage the Welsh team at the World Championships on February 9-11 next year but hopes to have the team in New Zealand for at least five weeks beforehand, preferably in the South Island getting used to the types of sheep being shorn in the championships in Invercargill.

Just as preferably there will also be more test matches beforehand, or afterwards, against New Zealand, which has never lost a home shearing test to Wales. New Zealand has, however, not won any of the annual home-and-away series’ in Wales in the last five years.

Mr Davyd that while the margins on New Zealand sheep have been generally getting closer and closer so has the competition in Wales for places in the national team, with most contenders having extensive experience of shearing in New Zealand summers.

Thus Jones and Evans will face tough competition for their places when their team is decided at the Royal Welsh Show in July.

He said at Pahiatua it was a privilege for the team to be shearing against World champion Smith and a World record holder in King, who nine years ago shore his record of 866 lambs in nine hours.

The Welsh aren’t so keen on New Zealand that they would stay for the Golden Shears – once the major drawcard for such overseas shearers.

While several younger Welsh shearers are expected at the Golden Shears in Masterton this week, Jones and Evans are returning immediately to Wales because of farm and shearing commitments.

Results of the final two CP Wool Shearing Series tests at the weekend:

Match 4, at Apiti in Saturday (15 sheep): New Zealand (Dion King 14min 41sec, 54.5167pts; Tony Coster 15min 38sec, 70.7667pts) 115.283pts, beat Wales (Richard Jones 15min 35sec, 58.6167pts; Gwion Evans 15min 50sec, 60.5667pts).

Match 5 at Pahiatua on Sunday (12 sheep): New Zealand (Rowland Smith 10min 27.02sec, 40.268pts; Dion King 10min 36.58sec, 42.245pts,) 82.503pts, beat Wales (Richard Jones 11min 31.51sec, 45.826pts; Gwion Evans 11min 15.63sec, 46.366pts) 92.192pts,. New Zealand won the series 5-0.

ENDS