Three brothers from Northland have achieved a possible first in all qualifying for the final stage of one of New Zealand’s premier shearing competitions.
Doug, Matt and Rowland Smith,who hail from Ruawai but shear mainly in Hawke’s Bay, are among the 12 for the PGG Wrightson National showdown on Saturday, the last day of the 52nd Golden Shears which start in Masterton tomorrow(Wednesday).
No other trio of brothers is thought to have reached the finals in the 40 years the National will have been contested, dating back to the introduction of the McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown in 1973.
It was a close call for Doug Smith who just scraped-through at Pahiatua on Sunday in the last of five qualifying rounds, ejecting former finalist Grant Smith, of Rakaia.
The 12 are headed by West Coast Shearer Jason Win going into two heats on Saturday morning, the number being cut to six for the grand final in the afternoon.
Rakaia shearer Tony Cost, going for a fourth National final victory in a row qualified in seventh place, with 2012 runner-up Angus Moore next in a field which includes six from the North Island six from the South.
Shearers amassed points through qualifying events on varying wool types at Alexandra (finewool merino), Waimate (crossbred longwool), Christchurch (coarse wooled corriedale), second-shear and lambs, but competition on Saturday will revert to speed and quality points.
The qualifiers in order are: Jason Win (Ikamatua), Matt Smith (Ruawai), Nathan Stratford (Invercargill), David Fagan (Te Kuiti), James Fagan (Te Kuiti), Rowland Smith (Ruawai), Tony Coster (Rakaia), Angus Moore (Ward), Kevin Hessell (Pleasant Pt), Aaron Haynes (Feilding), Darin Forde (Winton), Doug Smith (Ruawai).
