MEDIA RELEASE

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

November 20, 2011

Four in a row for Southland shearing gun

The small township of Tapanui continues to be happy hunting ground for leading South Island shearer Nathan Stratford who won the centennial West Otago A and P Show’s Open shearing title on Saturday.

It was his fourth win in a row at Tapanui but, belying his place at the top of Shearing Sports New Zealand’s World Championships selection series, it was his first victory since his only win of last season, at the same show a year ago.

He was nevertheless a hot favourite to notch a long-overdue win, having eight days earlier being beaten only by former World Champion and Australian raider Shannon Warnest in the New Zealand Corriedale Championships final in Christchurch.

He had previously been third in the New Zealand Merino Championships won in Alexandra by West Australian Damien Boyle, and second to New Zealand icon David Fagan at the New Zealand Spring Shears in Waimate. He also just missed-out on a place in a four-man final in the selection series’ second round at Waipukurau, the first time he’d ever competed in Hawke’s Bay.

With the third round not till mid-January, Stratford – a New Zealand representative in five transtasman tsts from 2006-2010 - was able to take advantage of the absence of the big names to return to the winning circle in the 14-sheep, four man final on Saturday.

Central Otago contractor and veteran former New Zealand representative and World Record holder Dion Morrell, won the race, finishing in 14min 29sec and beating Stratford by five seconds, but when it came to the quality it was no contest.

Morrell effectively disappeared from contention but Stratford had maintained his trademark craftsmanship to win by the big margin of almost 10pts from eventual second placegetter, Chris Vickers, of Palmerston.

The annual trip up SH1 and highway 90 through the Wakaka Valley is not all about winning for the 37-year-old Stratford, now in his 14th season of Open-class shearing.

“It’s a good local show, with a lot of young shearers wanting to learn,” he said. “It’s good to go to a show where the pressure’s off and to help them out. They put a lot of effort in to run a good show.”

He’s not however taking any chances over his promising early-season form, and plans to contest all five remaining series preliminary rounds, including first-ever ventures to Marton and Taihape, to guarantee a place in the top 12 for February’s showdown in Gore, from which two machine shearers will win black-singlet places at the World Championships in Masterton.

"There's still too many shows to go, and everyone's having a go," he said.

The rewards for West Otago competition organisers’ perseverance despite the absence of most top-liners came in the entry of 30 shearers in the three competition classes, more than double a lowpoint of 14 just 3-4 years ago, which had left stalwart Kevin Baxter and others wondering if they should continue with the event.

Mr Baxter said: “We’ve got our own woolshed, and farm, so it’s all set-up for it. It’s part of the entertainment at the show, so we’ve put in a bit more effort, and it’s all been worthwhile.”

The show had its biggest crowd in years.

Results from the West Otago A and P Centennial Show Shears at Tapanui on Saturday, November 19, 2011:

Open final (14 sheep): Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 14min 34sec, 53.057pts, 1; Chris Vickers (Palmerston) 15min 26sec, 62.586pts, 2; Dion Morrell (Alexandra) 14min 29sec, 62.95pts, 3; Chas Tohiariki (Invercargill) 15min 17sec, 65.493pts, 4.

Senior final (10 sheep): Shaun Matheson (Riverton) 12min 22sec, 50.7pts, 1; Brett Roberts (Mataura), 12min 18sec, 52.9pts, 2; Jake Rangiwai (Mataura) 12min 5sec, 57.45pts, 3; Dylan Fowler (Temuka) 13min 47sec, 69.95pts, 4.

Intermediate final (6 sheep): Kelly Christie (Alexandra) 10min 32sec, 47.1pts, 1; Ben Newby (Mossburn) 8min 32sec, 49.2pts, 2; Shaun Paikea (Heriot) 10min19sec, 64.283pts, 3; Marley Waihape (Mataura) 13min 32sec, 64.433pts, 4.

ENDS

© Scoop Media