Woolhandling evergreens just do it for fun

Woolhandling evergreens just do it for fun

Woolhandling competition stayers Oti Mason and Mii Nooroa were hardly disappointed to be eliminated so early in the Golden Shears heats today.

Each has been there done that, like competing in every Golden Shears Open woolhandling championship since woolhandling was added to the Golden Shears programme in 1985.

The now 65-year-old Mason, from Dannevirke, won the event twice, in 1996 and 200, and Nooroa, of Masterton, won in 1992.

Each still working in the industry, they can go further back, to competing on the A and P shows circuits in the 1970s.

During the ultimately unrequited break awaiting the results of their heats today, Mason explained the continued competition simply: “I think it’s the passion.”

As for his chances, he said: “I’m a bit longer in the tooth, about 15 years longer than the rest of them.

For each it’s also a mission to recruit, retain and improve young people in the shearing industry, and overcome the initial reticence when it comes to the competing seen as crucial to the improvement of the work skills.

“I wouldn’t call it shyness,” said Mason. “They wouldn’t know what shyness is. They know what stage-fright is.”

As Mason waited for heats points to be tallied, he said: “I’m not holding my breath. I had a go.”

Nooroa said: “I just like entering for the fun of it. If I get in, I get in. If I don’t, oh well.”

Of the 42 in today’s Golden Shears Open Woolhandling Championship heats, Noorooa was 32nd and Mason 36th, each well outside the list of 16 qualifiers for Saturdaymorning’s quarterfinals.

Qualifiers for the Golden Shears Open woolhandling quarterfinals on Saturday morning are, in order: Joel Henare (Dunedin and Gisborne), Maryanne Baty (Gisborne), Tia Potae (Milton), Liesha Atkinson (Eketahuna), Ratapu Moore (Kaitangata and Papakura), Keryn Herbert (Waimiha and Te Awamutu), Chelsea Collier (Gore), Ronnie Goss (Whanganui and Kimbolton), Candy Hiri (Mataura), Leonora Smith (Gisborne), Pagan Rimene (Alexandra), Sheree Alabaster (Taihape), Angela Wakely (Australia), Rachel Hutchison (Australia), Foonie Waihape (Gisborne), Eramiha Neho (Dannevirke).

ENDS

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