New sponsorship for Shearing Sports NZ

14 September 2006

New sponsorship for Shearing Sports New Zealand

Improving industry standards is the value Meat & Wool New Zealand will be looking for in its sponsorship of Shearing Sports New Zealand.

In announcing the organisation’s continued sponsorship for this year, Meat & Wool New Zealand Chairman, Jeff Grant said he was also delighted that Elders Primary Wool has decided to support the competitive arm of the industry. Elders Primary Wool will sponsor the bi-annual Trans-Tasman shearing and wool handling test series.

“It’s great that Elders Primary Wool has seen this opportunity to be part of a long-standing event that encourages quality standards in the harvesting of New Zealand wool.

“As well as overseeing the annual competition programme throughout New Zealand, Shearing Sports New Zealand organises and manages New Zealand’s shearing team in international competitions against Australia and Northern Hemisphere countries and they play a valuable role in standards setting – particularly in highlighting excellence through quality workmanship in both the shearing and wool-handling phases.

”The competition events focus on both speed and quality and that means minimising second shear and pelt damage from shearing cuts. This is estimated to cost producers in excess of $5m per annum in lost value. Reducing cuts and improving animal welfare and teaching and maintaining good wool handling techniques are added key outcomes.

“Building and retaining an experienced shearing workforce is another area of vital importance to the industry and these competitions are one way of encouraging this,” Mr Grant said.

Elders Managing Director, Stuart Chapman (Auckland) said Elders Primary Wool was pleased to get behind Shearing Sports New Zealand and support this year’s Trans Tasman series.

The first leg of the series will be held next month at Hay, New South Wales, during the Australian national championships. The return match will be at Golden Shears, Masterton, March next year. Elders Primary Wool will also sponsor the New Zealand vs United Kingdom test series programmed for Wairoa, Rotorua, Lumsden and Gore next January and February.

“This high profile competition is not just an exciting sporting event with very high profile at the Golden Shears each year. It also has real value for all stakeholders in the wool industry,” Mr Chapman said.

Shearing Sports New Zealand Chairman, John Fagan of Te Kuiti, said his organisation was delighted to have the continued support of Meat & Wool New Zealand, and also welcomed the opportunity to develop a strong partnership with Elders Primary Wool.

“Competitions were started many years ago for the very reason of raising industry standards. Our shearers and wool handlers who compete in shearing sports events each weekend, against the clock and under the close scrutiny of trained judges, take those skills back to the sheds during the week. The benefits from the sport flow back to the woolgrower and that has to be adding value to the industry as a whole.”

Mr Fagan said the 2006/07 competition season would start this weekend - 15/16 September at Alexandra with the New Zealand Merino Shearing Championships, and conclude with the New Zealand championships at Te Kuiti next April.

ENDS

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