Dion King beats a top quality lineup

MEDIA RELEASE

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

October 16, 2011

New Zealand representative Dion King had to put in one of his better performances of quality shearing to beat a top quality lineup and deny the legendary David Fagan a memorable double in the new season’s first North Island shearing competition in Gisborne on Saturday.

Shearing at the Poverty Bay Show, which attracted almost 100 shearers and woolhandlers, Te Kuiti gun Fagan was trying to add victory in his first show as a 50-year-old to his last at the age of 49 at Waimate a week earlier, and also complete a double he had scored last season.

He had the crowd in a frenzy as he whipped through his 15 sheep to be first finished in 13 min 31 sec, beating Napier shearer King by 11 seconds.

But the time advantage was not enough to make up for a couple of blemishes, and when all points were counted he was overtaken by King as well as World champion Cam Ferguson, of Waipawa, and Golden Shears champion and New Zealand transtasman series representative John Kirkpatrick, of Napier, who had each finished almost blow-for-blow in just under 14 minutes.

The strength of shearing on the east coast of the North Island was highlighted by the fact that all four shearing titles went to shearers from the region.

Former top national Junior and Intermediate shearer Wi Poutu Ngarangione, of Gisborne, won the senior final after finishing third last year, Henare Nia Nia, also of Gisborne, won the Intermediate final, shutting-out Waimate runner-up Tui Pene, of Wapawa, and the Junior final was a triumphant debut for Catherine Mulhooly, of Matawai.

The Open woolhandling final, the latest round in New Zealand’s World Championships selection series, was won by Tia Potae, of Milton, less than two points clear of teams World Champion Keryn Herbert, of Te Awamutu.

Mayanne Baty returned home to win her local Senior woolhandling final, after being runner-up seven days earlier at Waimate, and Junior woolhandler Steve Mason-Smallman, of Taihape, became the first competitor in the Shearing Sports New Zealand season to win two titles, proving just as good with the coast’s crossbred long-wool as on the finewool of Alexandras merinos a fortnight ago.

Results:

Shearing:

Open final (15 sheep) Dion King (Napier) 13min 42 sec, 54.16pts, 1; Cam Ferguson (Waipawa) 13min 55sec, 54.95pts, 2; John Kirkpatrick (Napier) 13min 57sec, 55.247pts, 3; David Fagan (Te Kuiti) 13min 31sec, 58.817pts, 4.

Senior final (8 sheep): Wi Poutu Ngarangione (Gisborne) 10min 3sec, 55.15pts, 1; Shelford Wilcox (Gisborne) 10min 44sec, 47.7pts, 2; Nukutai Tuhura (Ruatoria) 12min 11sec, 53.05pts, 3; Josh Crystal (Napier) 11min 29sec, 54.835pts, 4.

Intermediate final (4 sheep): Henare Niania (Gisborne) 7min 54sec, 39.45pts, 1; Tui Pene (Waipawa) 7min 31.5sec, 48.325pts, 2; Matt Spence (Gisborne) 7min 44sec, 49.95pts, 3; Ben Parkes (-) 7min 31.6sec, 58.08pts, 4.

Junior final (3 sheep): Catherine Mulhooly (Matawai) 8min 5sec, 45.17pts, 1; Dylan Godbold (Gisborne) 8min 11sec, 60.22pts, 2; Ryland Jackson (-) 8min 48sec, 73.74pts, 3; Marley Waihape (-) 11min 32sec, 73.93pts, 4.

Woolhandling:

Open final: Tia Potae (Milton) 125.6pts, 1; Keryn Herbert (Te Awamutu) 128.8pts, 2; Waimiere Perneha (Masterton) 144pts, 3; Amy Karaka (Te Karaka) 173.2pts, 4.

Senior final: Maryanne Baty (Gisborne) 74.8pts, 1; Rangi Barakat (Waipawa) 84.6pts, 2; Kiley Laris (Masterton) 128.6pts, 3; Kim Sowry (Pahiatua) 142pts, 4.

Junior final: Stevie Mason Smallman (Taihape) 84.4pts, 1; Tiana Buckman (Napier) 107.4pts, 2; Brittany Coombes (-) 115.8pts, 3; Tenille Smith (-) 119pts, 4.

ENDS

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