The Young Guns Fire Up

Wednesday February 29 2012-2

Te Kuiti youngster Josh Balme is gunning to fill the shoes of his father, nine time Golden Shears open finalist Digger Balme, as the 13-year-old shows how they start them young down at the shears.

The schoolboy lined up on the boards in novice competition heats on the opening day of the 52nd Golden Shears competition at Masterton’s War memorial stadium, eyeing up like-minded teen comb-welders.

Josh first picked up a hand-piece at age 11, shearing on the family farm under the watchful eye of his father.

“I was brought up around shearing, running alongside shearing gangs. It is a great way to get money and it keeps you fit. I have my idols too, like my dad, Johnny Kirkpatrick and of course David Fagan who everyone will always look up to.”

Though the competitive streak, beginning in a few build-up contests this season is only just kicking in, Josh has his sights fixed firmly on the prize.

His determination is being driven along by the 2010 success of Masterton’s David Gordon, who made history by becoming the youngest ever Golden Shears champion at 13.

“It was tough out there. I didn’t quite shear as well as I would have liked, but I did just enough. I’ll be stepping it up next round.”

And do enough he did. Josh made it through to the semis round – taking him just one step closer to his quest to join the ranks of those who have carved their names in Golden Shears history taking out the novice title.

And though Josh will have to wait until later this afternoon to find out whether he has pulled off a place in the final, his dad Digger, whose best performance in his 30 years of Golden Shears competition had him second to kiwi legend David Fagan, has got his eye again on a spot in the open top 30.

“It is great to be down here cheering Josh on and getting a feel of the real spirit of the event, but I have also got my mind on really performing out of my skin myself right now and making it through to the Open Final if everything goes right. ”

The first day of competition has also seen the start of woolhandling and woolpressing competitions and the junior and intermediate shearing divisions.

www.goldenshears.co.nz

ENDS

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