Good guys get Shears off to great start

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Charlie Guy, 15, of Kaeo, Northland, shears his way to vicory in the Novice Shearing final, the first final at the 51st Golden Shears which started in Masterton today(mar 3). His brother, Marshall, 13, was fourth. PICTURE: Doug Laing, Shearing Sports New Zealand

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On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

March 3, 2011. 3.30pm

Good guys get Shears off to great start

The family of five brothers Guy from Northland have begun the Golden Shears in Masterton today (thursday)in great style with a victory in the first final on the opening day of the 51st annual shearing and woolhandling championships.

The victory in the two-sheep Novice final went to 15-year-old Charlie Guy, but among the toughest to beat was brother Marshall, who at the age of just 13 headed the six qualifiers from the semi-finals. Earlier in the day it had been Charlie 1 and Marshall 2 in the heats, in which a Novice grade record of 54 young shearers shore one sheep each.

"He's beaten me in a couple of shows, so I just had to win," said Charlie after the final, in which he was second off the board, beaten by half-a-minute by Porangahau shearer Anaru Wakefield, who shore his two sheep in 6min 13.093sec.

The tables were turned when quality points were added to quality points in the judging pens with Charlie Guy beating Wakefield by 2.41pts. The eldest finalist, 21-year-old Monique Taylor, of Feilding, claimed third place while Marshall Guy was fourth.

Charlie, whose father was a shearer as was grandfather Fred before that, became the second of the family to win a Golden Shears title, with eldest brother Bevan having won the Intermediate title in 2009 and finished fifth in the Senior final last year.

There were prospects of more success for the family this year, with Bryce Guy making his way safely through the Junior heats, Lance Guy getting through to the Intermediate semi-finals, and Bevan Guy being among the favourites for the senior title, the heats of which will be held this afternoon.

The finals of their three grades will all be held on the last afternoon of the championships on Saturday.

Results from the first day of the 51 Golden Shears international shearing and woolhandling championships in Masterton today(thursday):

Shearing

Novice final (2 sheep): Charlie Guy (Kaeo) 6min 44.9sec, 26.245pts, 1; Anaru Wakefield (Porangahau) 6min 13.093sec, 28.655pts, 2; Monique Taylor (Feilding) 7min 29.957sec, 28.98pts, 3; Marshall Guy (Kaeo) 8min 7.168sec, 31.858pts, 4; George Smith (Waikaretu) 7min 5.613sec, 39.281pts, 5; Nick Fabish (Martinborough) 39.684pts, 6.

ENDS

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