Kiwi shearing legend David Fagan has become a warm favourite to represent New Zealand at a 10th world championships by heading Shearing Sports New Zealand's selection series with only a semifinal and final to go next weekend.
The 50-year-old Fagan, winner of five individual and seven teams world titles since first wearing the black singlet at a world championships in Perth in 1986, claimed top ranking after finishing second in the final points round, the Otago championships, in Balclutha on Saturday.
Fagan did not win any of the seven-point rounds, but four second placings and a third in the five rounds in the New Year were enough to dislodge Southland hope Nathan Stratford, who had topped the table since the series' opening round in Christchurch in November. The top 12 now head for a shear-off at the Southern Shears in Gore next weekend, the first two based on performances on the day making-up the machine shearing section of the team for the championships being held during the Golden Shears in Masterton from February 29 to March 3.
Rising star Rowland Smith, 25, reaffirmed his strong claims to the second berth by winning the 20-sheep Otago final, completing a clean sweep of the last three events in the qualifying series.
Whanganui shearer Jerome McCrea was third, but just missed out on a late place in the top 12, when a tie for the last place was broken by placings in the compulsory first round.
