Shearing Sports New Zealand

Shearing Sports New Zealand

In view of the tremendous interest shown by media in the National Lambshearing Championships in Raglan at the weekend, I've updated a list of remaining events on the Shearing Sports New Zealand calendar for the remainder of the season. Each event has at least one contact who will be able to assist with local inquiries.

Shearing Sports New Zealand encourages all media to treat shearing and woolhandling competitions as a sport, for that's what it is to those who take part. As one measure of this reognition in the past, a shearer (Godfrey Bowen) was a foundation inductee of the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, and the sport has had funding from SPARC. Shearing and woolhandling competitions are distinct as sport in comparison with the job of shearing in the same way as motor racing is distinct as a sport from the manufacture of automobiles.

There are 66 shows affiliated to Shearing Sports New Zealand, and the following shows include the special features of the National Crossbred Lambs Championships at Winton on January 17, the Otago championships at Balclutha on February 13-14, the Southern Shears at Gore on February 20-21, the Golden Shears at Masterton on March 5-7, the New Zealand championships at Te Kuiti on April 2-4, and the Northern Shears at the Royal Easter Show in Auckland on April 10-12.

Shows generally consist of shearing and/or woolhandling competitions, with a comprehensive points system based on time and quality.

From time to time there will be separate Speedshear events, based primarily on speed (usually over one sheep), with provisions for competitors to be disqualified if reasonable quality standards are not maintained.

ENDS

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