Kirkpatrick clinches the Open Shearing champion title

THIS YEAR’S Golden Shears event finished on a supreme high as Johnny Kirkpatrick clinched the Open Shearing champion title for the third time in his shearing career.

Despite fierce competition from five of the world’s most skilled shearers, who between them boast hundreds of Open titles, Kirkpatrick’s performance tonight left no question as to his champion status.

First-time Golden Shears Open competitor Rowland Smith was neck and neck with Kirkpatrick for a large part of the contest, only losing ground on the last five or six sheep. Smith was then followed by veteran champion David Fegan who came in at third, 2006 winner Dion King at forth, 13-time finalist Dean Ball from Te Kuiti at number five and first time Open finalist Adam Brausch in sixth place.

Kirkpatrick’s performance this evening brought to a perfect finish an event that once again saw the masses leaving the stadium on a high and already looking forward to more shearing action. It certainly appeared that the buzz created at last year’s 50^th anniversary event was captured again this year, and there’s no doubt it will be carried over to next year’s 52^nd Golden Shears International Shearing Championships, an event that will also coincide with the 2012 World Shearing Championships.

For detailed final results visit http://www.goldenshears.co.nz/results11/index.htm

For free higher resolution images go to http://pete.co.nz/press/ at http://pete.co.nz/

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