Young woolhandling sensation Joel Henare is on the brink of a chance to add a World title to an amazing list of victories by reaching a cut-throat final of New Zealand ’s World Championships team selection series.
The 20-year-old from Gisborne emerged today from the semi-final of a year-long series as one of three for a final tomorrow (Saturday), in which only one will miss out.
He will be up against Whanganui’s Joanne Kumeroa, winner of two individual World titles and two in teams events, and Te Awamutu’s Keryn Herbert, who is out to not only defend the teams title she won in 2010 but also make up from her shock failure to reach that year’s individual final.
Among those to disappear from the race today was Herbert’s 2010 teammate, Sheree Alabaster, of Taihape, who in 2008 won the individual title and a team title with Kumeroa.
Henare sparked-up his credentials today by also successfully defending his Southern Shears Open title, beating Kumeroa and Tia Potae, of Milton , in the final.
He and Kumeroa each won three events in the series, while the Herbert’s best efforts were three second placings.
The Southern Shears senior woolhandling final was won by Cushla Abraham, of Masterton, with Invercargill’s Melanie Barrett the runner-up, and the Junior title by Cherie Peterson, also of Milton, with second place going to Anne-Marie Kahukura, of Omakau.
New Zealand ’s two machine shearing representatives for the World Championships will also be found tomorrow (Saturday), the top 12 from seven points rounds contesting a semi-final on busy afternoon in which some are also likely to shear in the Southern Shears Open and South Island Shearer of the Year finals.
Veteran David Fagan is a $1.50 TAB favourite to be one of the pair in the black singlets.
The World shearing and woolhandling championships to be held during the Golden Shears from February 29 to March 3 have attracted entries from 25 countries, some of whom are also competing in Gore.
