A feast of champions at shearing and woolhandling in Dannevirke.

World champion Rowland Smith in action at the Dannevirke and Districts A&P Show. Photo Christine McKay

The large number of entries in the Dannevirke and Districts A&P shearing and woolhandling last Friday delighted organiser Jane Leogreen despite running out of sheep, restricting the number of animals available for the finals.

Reigning world champion woolhandler, Joel Henare, sends the fleece flying as he took out the open section in Dannevirke. Henare is hoping to make into the New Zealand team for this year's world event in Le Dorat, Central France, in July.

And with eight current and former world champions competing they were star-studded events, with shearers and woolhandlers looking to make the New Zealand team for
this year's world event in Le Dorat, central France, in July.

Former world champion John Kirkpatrick of Napier, under the judges scrutiny in the open shearing at Dannevirke.

Brian Beale, president of the A&P Society, was pleased with how well the newly refurbished shearing facilities were working, a feature appreciated by those behind the scenes as well as shearers and judges. Simon Hales provided the top-quality sheep.

Results:

Dannevirke A and P Show shearing and woolhandling championships on Friday, February 1, 2019:

Open final: Rowland Smith (Hastings) 15min 38sec, 53.73pts, 1; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 17min 27sec, 62.07pts, 2; Hemi Braddick (Eketahuna) 16mins, 64.06pts, 3; Darren Alexander (Whangamomona/Havelock North) 18min 23sec, 68.65pts, 4.

It was hot work for former world champion Cam Ferguson in the open shearing.

Woolhandling:

Open final: Joel Henare (Gisborne) 32.53pts, 1; Sheree Alabaster (Taihape) 40.59pts, 2; Eramiha Neho (Dannevirke) 41.37pts, 3.

Nathan Stratford of Invercargill, a member of the CP Wool New Zealand shearing team in 2018, came a close second in the open shearing at Dannevirke.

Woolhandler Keryn Herbert, a top open woolhandler for the past 10 years is looking for a place in the New Zealand for the world champs in France later this year.