Young Dannevirke woolhandler Hayley Holm landed herself some huge challenges after a completing a rare back-to-back Golden Shears double in Masterton on Saturday.
The 20-year-old added the senior title to the junior crown she won last year and has to step up to the tough open class, dominated by World champuion Joanne Kumeroa and several others rated among the world's best.
Daughter of Dannevirke lifestyle blockowners Peter and Karyn Holm, she knows that wins will, for some time at least, not be regular as the lower-classes successes which made her the pre-post favourite for the Golden Shears, at which she was also second in the North Island senior circuit final.
Hemi Keelan, 22, a Ruatoria shearer based in Dannevirke, won the intermediate shearing final. He was the favourite after several successes since his first competition at Waimarino just after last year's Golden Shears.
Another from the PMS gang, Napier shearer John Kirkpatrick was part of a predicted open championship trifecta, but the 2002 champion had to settle for third in the 20-sheep final, won by new champion Paul Avery, of Stratford.
Favourite and 15-time champion David Fagan, of Te Kuiti, was second, but still chase a sixth world title in Toowoomba in June, qualifying by winning the Wrightson National Series final. Napier's Dion King was a surprise runner-up in the contest over three merinos, three halfbreds, three long wools, three second-shear and three lambs.
Senior favourite Karl Nathan, of Te Hauke, withdrew to return home for a tangi, and the event was won by Chopper Waihape, 23, of Mataura, son of Southland-based contractor Clifford Waihape, originally from Raupunga.
Dannevirke shearers stacked up the minor placings with Aaaron and Ringa Paewai third and sixth, and Kodi Pomare and Punga Mullins second and sixth in the junior final.
Tuma Mullins, of Dannevirke, was third in the junior woolhandling final, and Tracey Henderson, also of Dannevirke, was second in the women's woolpressing final.
SHEARING: Woolhandler adds senior title
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