One each as Kiwis share merino champs spoils

Shearing Sports New Zealand
www.shearingsports.co.nz

Media Release

October 1, 2011

One each as Kiwis share merino champs spoils

South Island shearers Grant Smith and Charlie O’Neill kept the New Zealand flag flying with victory in the first Tri-Nations Machine Shearing Challenge which brought together six of the best finewool shearers in the World in Alexandra last night.

Their win over Australia and South Africa at the 50th anniversary New Zealand Merino Championships which kicked-off the new Shearing Sports New Zealand season followed an expected victory by World champion South Africans Zweliwile Hans and Mayenzeke Shweni in a blades shearing test.

Smith, from Rakaia, and host-town shearer O’Neill won their test over four sheep each by 5.3pts from the Australian team of Damian Boyle and Mark Buscombe, both from West Australia, with just over 14pts to the South African team of Isaac Ndlongwane and Bongani August.

Three-times World champion Hans, and Shweni, who won a Golden Shears World Championships teams gold medal in Wales last year, were comfortable winners of the blades test of two sheep each, beating New Zealanders Brian Thompson, of Christchurch, and Mike McConnell, of Cave, by more than 13pts.

The Australian team, of John Nicholl and Jim Barnett, a new pairing after the late withdrawal of World championships finalist John Dalla, was a further 33pts away.

In other events decided on yesterday, the second day of the three-day celebration, Stevie Masion-Smallman, of Taihape, won the Junior woolhandling final, while the Senior woolhandling title went to Keri Henare, of Gisborne.

The Marino championships finish today(Saturday), with the features the Open shearing and woolhandling finals.

For further shearing information see www.shearingsports.co.nz
ENDS

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