Scots hope for NZ title

Scots hope for NZ title

Champion Scottish shearer and Taranaki farmer Gavin Mutch took another step towards another major milestone when he qualified for the chance to become New Zealand’s top all-breeds shearer.

Mutch, who last year became the first shearer from overseas to win the Golden Shears Open final has qualified in second place among the 12 shearers for the PGG Wrightson National Circuit finals at the Golden Shears in Masterton next Saturday.

The vaunted dozen is chosen on points for placings in the heats at five competitions datying back to New Zealand Merino Championships in Alexandra in October.

The compulsory finewool contest was followed by the longwooled Spring Shears in Waimate, the national Corriedale Championships at the Canterbury Show, lambshearing in Masterton Waitangi Day and today’s second-shear round at the Pahiatua Shears.

Mutch achieved in the 43years of the event by being top qualifier at three of the shows (Waimate, Marton and Pahiatua), but with 38pts was pipped by a point for top ranking by former winner Nathan Stratford, of Invercargill, who had been top qualifier in the opening round of the series, which incorporatesthe McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown, first presented in 1973.

Based at Whangamomona, where he farms with wife Pip, Mutch has already become the top overseas shearer on the Masterton stage, having also won the World title there in 2012.

The qualifiers for the National Circuit showdown shear in the semi-finals on Saturday morning, the top six then shearing in the final a few hours later.

The top New Zealander in the final wins a place in the New Zealand team for the home-and-away transtasman shearing series next summer.

Semi-finalists in order of qualifying are: Nathan Stratford (Invercargill), Gavin Mutch (Whangamomona and Scotland), Troy Pyper (Invercargill), John Kirkpatrick (Napier), David Buick (Pongaroa), Tony Coster (Rakaia), Aaron Haynes (Feilding), Angus Moore (Kaitangata and Ward), Grant Smith Rakaia), Paerata Abraham (Masterton and Dannevirke), Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti), Turi Edmonds (Raetihi).

The reserve is Hemi Braddick (Eketahuna).

ENDS

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