Hawke’s Bay shearer and New Zealand representative Dion King scored an important victory when he won the Northern Southland Community Shears Open final near Lumsden today.
It was the third of seven qualifying rounds in Shearing Sports New Zealand’s World Championships selection series, and he just pipped legendary David Fagan, of Te Kuiti, showing he’s still in the race at the age of 50, and Southland hope Nathan Stratford.
Just 0.81pts covered the first three placings, King taking his edge by shearing his 20 big, wooly ewes in just 17min 17.09sec, 10 seconds ahead of next-man-finished and Hawke’s Bay-based Northlander Matthew Smith, who with quality points counted ultimately claimed fifth place.
It gave King the maximum 12 series points, which he will try to repeat in the national Crossbred Lambshearing Championship at the Winton A and P Show tomorrow (Saturday).
The quality of the competition was highlighted when boyth defending champion ad favourite John Kirkpatrick, of Napier, and World champion Cam Ferguson, of Waipawa, failed to qualify for today’s final.
The senior final was a case of the pupil beating the master, 17-year-old Mataura shearer Brett Roberts claiming the honours ahead of his grandfather, 56-year-old contractor Cliff Waihape, who was fifth.
Australia-based Joanne Kumeroa kept her sights on the chance of winning another World title taking today’s Open woolhandling final, also part of a selection series. She won comfortably from runner-up Monca Potae, of Milton.
Results from the Northern Southland Community Shears and Woolhandling Championships at Lumsden today:
Shearing:
Open final (20 sheep): Dion King (Napier) 17m 17.09s, 66.005pts, 1; David Fagan (Te Kuiti) 18m 9.77s, 66.489pts, 2; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 18m 13.72s, 66.886pts, 3; Angus Moore (Ward) 17m 50s, 68.5pts, 4; Matthew Smith (Ruawai) 17m 27.36s, 68.818pts, 5; Darin Forde (Tuatapere) 17m 55.5s, 73.775pts, 6.
Senior final (12 sheep): Brett Roberts (Mataura) 14m 22.67s, 56.218pts, 1; Brook Todd (Dipton) 15min 18.3s, 59.499pts, 2; Shaun Matheson (Tuatapere) 15m 0.47s, 60.524pts, 3; Cory Palmer (Dipton) 15m 41.89s, 61.928pts, 4; Cliff Waihape (Mataura) 14m 43.53s, 62.427pts, 5; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 14m 43.53s, 62.27pts, 6.
Intermediate final (8 sheep): Linton Palmer (Dipton) 14m 4.89s, 52.935pts, 1; Tui Pene (Waipawa) 13m 47.47s, 53.749pts, 2; Alan Brady (Scotland) 12m 35.61s, 62.906pts, 3; Can Hicks (Marton) 13m 47.94s, 63.647pts, 4; Saniel Cree (Isle of Man) 13m 28.05s, 63.778pts, 5; Kelly Christie (Alexandra) 15m 8.86s, 68.818pts, 6.
Junior final (5 sheep): Andrew Leith (Dipton) 11m 39.16s, 50.958pts, 1; Ethan Pankhurst (Carterton) 12m 29.19s, 55.66pts, 2; Brendon Humphries (-) 14m 2.75s, 59.538pts, 3; Kahn Culshaw (Ashburton) 12m 27.95s, 66.798pts, 4; Marley Waihape (Mataura) 14m 44.75s, 73.838pts, 5; Chris Malcolm (Mossburn) 11m 55.08s, 77.354pts, 6..
Woolhandling:
Open final: Joanne Kumeroa (Whanganui) 136.24pts, 1; Monica Potae (Milton) 202.57pts, 2; Sheree Alabaster (Tauhape) 245.5pts, 3; Tina Rimene (Masterton) 281.37pts, 4.
Senior final: Melanie Hillis (Mataura) 100.56pts, 1; Ebony Turipa (Mataura) 132.536pts, 2; Cushla Abraham (Masterton) 154.87pts, 3; Juliette Lyon (Alexandra) 238.88pts, 4.
Junior final: Anne Marie Kahukura (Omakau) 100.78pts, 1; Stevie Mason Smallman (Taihape) 100.97pts, 2; Maiden Elers (Mataura) 132.41pts, 3; Filipa Cunningham (-) 164,85pts, 4.
