World champ Gavin Mutch scores big win in Taranaki Shears

March 25, 2014

World champ Gavin Mutch scores big win in Taranaki Shears

Taranaki farmer and Scottish shearer Gavin Mutch has scored a major success ahead of his World title defence in May by winning the Taranaki Shears Open title in Stratford on Sunday.

With only a handful of wins events behind him during the New Zealand summer, the Whangamomona-based Mutch beat almost all the top Kiwi hopes, although Golden Shears champion Rowland Smith failed to make yesterday’s final.

The runner-up was 2008 and 2012 World teams champion John Kirkpatrick, of Napier, followed in order by five-times World individual champion David Fagan, of Te Kuiti, Wairarapa hope David Buick, of Pongaroa, up-and-coming King Country prospect Mark Grainger, of Te Kuiti, and Axle Reid, of Taihape.

Smith beat Fagan, Kirkpatrick and Grainger in the Waitomo Caves Open on Saturday and this week seeks a third New Zealand Open title in Te Kuiti, where one of his opponents will qualify to join him in the New Zealand team for the World Championships in Gorey, Ireland, in May.

Yesterday’s Senior final was won by Casey Bailey, of Masterton, Simon Goss, of Kimbolton, won the Intermediate final, Josh Balme, of Te Kuiti, the Junior final, and the Novice event was won by Golden Shears novice winner Connor Puha, of Kimbolton.

Logan Kamura, of Marton, had his biggest success by winning the Open woolhandling final, while the Senior and Junior woolhandling titles went to Leah Iremonger and Kerry Duff respectively.

ENDS

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