Hawke's Bay farmers are crying out for rain. One man's begging for it to hold off a few more days

Colin Watson-Paul really needs the rain to hold off a few more days. Photo / File

Farmers are crying out for rain but not-so shearing contractor Colin Watson-Paul who wants anything but wet as he plans a sendoff for two Hawke's Bay shearers heading for their world championships.

Up to 3000 sheep are to be shorn in two Brownrigg Agriculture woolsheds south of Hastings on Saturday to support former World titleholders Rowland Smith, of Maraekakaho, and Cam Ferguson, of Waipukurau, the machine shearers in the New Zealand shearing and woolhandling team for the championships in Le Dorat, France on July 1-7.

The pair then face four test matches against Wales later in the month.

But MetService forecasts, after one of the driest Mays on record, are now for showers and rain in Hawke's Bay over the next five days, threatening availability of dry sheep, if they are unable to be penned under cover for sufficient time beforehand.

The rain map for Hawke's Bay in May, highlighting rainfall under a quarter of average for much of the plains and coastal region. Source/Hawke's Bay Regional Council

Despite the end of the first week of June consistently bringing rain to the Bay each year, an optimistic Watson-Paul said:

"Farmers definitely need the rain but I don't think they're going to get it this time ... Well, not just yet. If it rains and we can't get the sheep in dry it's off. I think we'll be alright."

Watson Paul said Saturday's a big chance for the Hawke's Bay shearing industry to "get-in behind" the pair, who've put in "years of back-breaking work" and brought global recognition to the region and New Zealand's wool industry through exploits including Ferguson's World title in Wales in 2010 and Smith's triumph in Ireland four years later.

Travel and accommodation are provided for the Shearing Sports New Zealand team, which at the World championships also includes two woolhandlers and two blade shearers.

But the Flaxmere contractor, who has organised other shearing big days out for charity, says competitors still need some sort of weekly income. Both Smith and Ferguson employ shearing crews, and thus have businesses and families to maintain while they are away.

"These are not professional sportsmen like All Blacks paid thousands of dollars a week while they're away," Watson-Paul said. "These people give up a lot of their livelihood to represent their country, and an industry which is a huge part of our economy."

He said at least nine shearing stands will be used as dozens of woolshed workers donate their time to the cause.

"It will take us back to the days when whole farming communities came out to help send our All Blacks away on their three-month tours, when they weren't paid for playing," he said.

Hastings has had just over 16mm of rain in the last five weeks, barely 20 per cent of the average for the period.

According to the Hawke's Bay Regional Council monthly rain report, rainfall in May was less than half the May average from the Ruataniwha Plains of Central Hawke's Bay to Wairoa in the north, and less than a quarter of average in many places. It was also well below average in the river tributary areas in the ranges.