Second defeat for NZ shearers in UK

MEDIA RELEASE

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand June 28, 2011

Second defeat for NZ shearers in UK

The New Zealand shearing team has had its second defeat in two shearing tests on a tour of Britain, being beaten by a United Kingdom during the weekend.

Rowland Smith, from Ruawai in Northland, and Dion King, of Napier, were competing at the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston, Edinburgh, when they were beaten by Welsh champion Gareth Daniel and Scottish shearer Gavin Mutch.

Mutch and Smith shore blow-for-blow on the last sheep to each clock 12min 11sec, with Daniel next in 13min 1sec. beating King by 16 seconds. Daniel produced the best quality and when all points were counted the UK had won by a comfortable 6.13pts.

Smith finished a creditable fifth in the Royal Scotland Open final, won by Scotsman Hamish Mitchell, with New Zealand-based Mutch finishing in second place..

Brook Todd, of Dipton, in the South Island, was fifth in the senior final, in which the runner-up was Londonderry shearer Jack Robinson, who shears with Smith for Hawke's Bay shearing contractors WoolQual, while Linton Palmer, also of Dipt, was runner-up in the Intermediate final.

The New Zealand team, beaten by England in the first international of its tour 10 days ago, faces its next test against Scotland at the Lochearnhead Shears next weekend.

ENDS

© Scoop Media