Kiwis steal the show in Aussie shears raid

MEDIA RELEASE Shearing Sports New Zealand November 1, 2010.

Kiwis steal the show in Aussie shears raid

Kiwi shearers and woolhandlers recovered some of the transtasman mana lost in the All Blacks’ defeat by the Wallabies at the weekend by all-but shutting Australians out of the serious money at a major show in southwest Victoria. Suited by the sheep in Australia’s top crossbred event on Saturday, Kiwis claimed all six places in Romney Shears open final at Warrnambool, won by Hastings-based Far North shearer Rowland Smith. The Hawke’s Bay influence was even greater with second-place going to John Kirkpatrick, of Napier, World champion and Waipawa shearer Cam Ferguson was third, and James Mack, of Weber, was fourth. Hamish Bramley, of Kaeo, was fifth, and Nathan Stratford, of Invercargill, sixth.

Gisborne teenager Joel Henare won his second Warrnambool open woolhandling final, with mentor Joanne Kumeroa, of Whanganui, finishing second, while another Gisborne teenager, Wi Poutu Ngarangione won the senior shearing final. Henare, Kumeroa and teammate Judith Ratana also spearheaded a Te Kuiti New Zealand Championships selection’s woolhandling triumph over a Warrnambool championships Australiaselection, but Smith, Fergusonand Stratfordwere unable to make it a Kiwi double as they succumbed in their match over four crossbreds and four finewool merinos each. Fergusonwas first off in the 10 sheep open final, taking 10min 14 sec, 11 seconds clear of Kirkpatrick who just pipped the 24-year-old Smith who finished in 10m 27s.

But Smith had the better board and pen quality points and all-told beat Kirpatrick by almost threequarters of a point. Smith, who had won the trip after finishing second in last April’s New Zealand championships, in which he almost beat icon David Fagan for a place at the World championships, said he was just “cruisin’ along” with his shearing, but put his win down to a solid year shearing Romneys in Hawke’s Bay “I just like crossies (crossbred sheep),” said Smith, who is planning with brother Doug a World two-stand ewes record bid in January in Hawke’s Bay, where another brother, Matt, set a solo eight-hour record of 578 last summer.

Smith had earlier won the quality quick shear event at the show in 43.6 seconds with just three quality points, while last Friday Fergusonwon the Mortlake Quick Shear with a best effort of 27.59sec for a crossbred lamb. Results from the Romney Shears at Warrnambool, Vic, on October 30: Shearing: Open final (10 sheep): Rowland Smith (Ruawai) 10min 27sec, 37.44pts, 1; John Kirkpatrick (Napier) 10min 25sec, 38.16pts, 2; Cam Ferguson (Waipawa) 10min 14sec, 38.79pts, 3; James Mack (Weber), 42.9pts, 4; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill), 43.46pts, 5; Hamish Bramley (Kaeo), 49.74pts, 6.

Senior: Wi Ngarangione (Gisborne), 34.62pts, 1; Josh Lilley (Vicyoria), 37.13pts, 2; Corey Scott (-), 38.07pts, 3; Andrea Froon (NSW), 40.28pts, 4; Shaun Faithfull (-) 40.5pts, 5; Evo Hennessy, 42.8pts, 6. Intermediate: Nathan Lilley (Victoria) 39.8pts, 1; Leigh Cowland (Victoria), 45.7pts, 2; Aaron Kahuhura (Omakau) 47.2pts, 3; Kane Wells (NZ), 47.5pts, 4; John Schimanski (NZ), 50.7pts, 5; Nicki Pearse (NZ), 50.7pts, 6. Novice: Tarina Darling, 41.04pts, 1; Angus McDonald, 45.3pts, 2; Lee Harris, 48.15pts, 3. CoopworthChallenge: Jason Wingfioeld (Victoria), 34.31pts, 1; Tyson Scholz (-) 36.45pts, 2; Roger Mifsud (Victoria), 38.55pts, 3; Glen Stephens (-), 39.16pts, 4; Robbie Glover (-), 39.66pts, 5; Steve Rigby (-), 41.99pts, 6. Transtasman challenge: Warrnambool (Roger Mifsud, Tyson Scholz, Robbie Glover) beat Te Kuiti (Rowland Smith, Cam Ferguson, Nathan Stratford). Woolhandling Open final: Joel Henare (Gisborne) 1; Joanne Kumeroa (Whanganui) 2; Mark Purcell (Australia) 3; Fi Patison (Australia) 4.Transtasman challenge: Te Kuiti (Joel Henare, Joanne Kumeroa, Judith Ratana) beat Warrnambool (Mark Purcell, Michelle Walker, Mel Morris).

ENDS

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