Master teen closes in on woolhanding acclaim

PRESS RELEASE

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

February 16, 2009

Master teen closes in on woolhanding acclaim

Gisborne teenager Joel Henare took another step towards attaining master woolhandler status before the age of 20 when he won both the New Zealand Woolhandler of the Year and South Isand Circuit finals at the Otago Shears in Balclutha on Saturday (February 14).

Aged 17, Henare was successfully defending the Woolhandler of the Year title he first won at Balclutha last year, and the two victories took him closer to the five "major" wins he needs to achieving a third criteria in pursuit of becoming easily the youngest competitor to be accorded the status..

It also took him two steps closer to the 15 open titles needed to be considered for inclusion on Shearing Sports New Zealand's Master Woolhandler list, now numbering 20 recognised since 1991.

Henare, who at 15 years old became the youngest person to win an open-class title, has already won the one finewool show title needed to be considered for Master status, and has already achieved North Island, and New Zealand, representation.

The senior Woolhandler of the Year final on Saturday was a triumph not only for winner Candy Hiri but also third placegetter Larnie Rimene (Morrell), recovering fromserious injuries received in a van crash which killed two colleagues on the way to work in Central Otago in September. Her sister, Pagan, who was also seriously injured in the crash, competed in the open heats but did not qualify for the final. Larnie won the Golden Shears junior title two years ago, and Pagan the senior title a year earlier.

ENDS

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