Close Call As Shearing Competition Season Kicks Back In

Just four-hundredths of a point separated the first two placegetters as a big Shearing Sports New Zealand season resumed with the Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears on Banks Peninsula on Saturday.

Regaining a title he won for the first time in 2023, Pleasant Point contractor Ant Frew thought it would be runner-up for a third time in a row after Rangiora shearer Hugh de Lacy shore the 12 sheep 11m 19.12s to e first off the board by almost 46 seconds – a time advantage worth 2.29 points.

Frew knew he had still had a good shear and it would be closed, but didn’t reckon it would be enough, until the result was announced, with best points in both board and pen judging and a penalties score of 41.08 to de Lacy 41.12.

The two were well clear of 2022 winner and New Zealand-based Chilean shearer Luis Pincol, on 44.72pts, with fourth place going to Liam Norrie, of Cheviot.

The Senior final also produced a close result, with quality again triumphing, as Nick Owen, of Darfield, beat Jean Pierre Bowyer, from Hawke’s Bay, by 0.18pts.

English shearer Owen Wells put in a good performance competing alone in the Intermediate grade, and Waimate teenager Jacob Booth scored his fourth win of the season, beating Ben Rowson-Jones by almost two points.

Booth had already won at Rangiora, Ashburton and Nelson, while Rowson-Jones won the New Zealand Corriedale championships Junior final in Christchurch in November.

With temperatures about 32C and demands of the shearing season in the woolshed keeping some competitors away, the Shears attracted 25 entries, with 10 in the Open class, eight seniors one Intermediate competitor, and six juniors.

It was the first competition on the post-Christmas Shearing Sports New Zealand calendar, ahead of six competitions nationwide this week.

The Northern Southland Community Shears shearing and woolhandling championships will be held near Lumsden on Friday, A and P shearing competitions will be held on Saturday at Kaikohe, Wairoa and Takaka on Saturday, along with the Southland Shears national crossbred lambs shearing and woolhandling championships at the Winton A and P Show, and the Horowhenua shearing championships will be held at the Levin A and P Show on Sunday.

The highlight of the season will be the Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in Masterton on March 4-7.

RESULTS from the Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears at the Duvauchelle A and P Show on Saturday, January 10, 2026:

Open final (12 sheep): Ant Frew (Pleasant Point) 12m 4.91s, 41.08pts, 1; Hugh de Lacy (Rangiora) 11m 19.12s, 41.12pts, 2; Luis Pincol (Chile) 13m 24.41s, 44.72pts, 3; Liam Norrie (Cheviot) 15m 51.78s, 55.67pts, 4.

Senior final (8 sheep): Nick Owen (Darfield) 9m 20.75s, 35.05pts, 1; Jean Pierre Bowyer (Flaxmere) 8m 52.19s, 35.23pts, 2; Sam Harrison (Scargill) 9m 46.22s, 36.69pts, 3; Zion Smith (Christchurch) 8m 57.5s, 37.63pts, 4.

Intermediate final (3 sheep): Owen Wells (England) 5m 9.56s, 24.81pts, 1.

Junior final (3 sheep): Jacob Booth (Waimate) 6m 49s, 26.45pts, 1; Ben Rowson-Jones (North Derbyshire, England) 6m 27.69s, 28.38pts, 2; Tyran Smith (Christchurch) 5m 36.37s, 29.15pts, 3; Mike Toshach (Rangiora) 5m 25.44s, 31.94pts, 4.

© Scoop Media