Gold is all that matters for Buick

HIGH HOPES: David Buick is a contender to be the first Wairarapa shearer to win the Open final. PHOTO/FILE

Ask Pongaroa farmer David Buick what the Golden Shears mean to him and you get a quick answer.

"Everything, absolutely everything," says the 35-year-old who is seen as a leading contender for the open shearing title at the 2015 edition of this iconic event which got under way at Masterton's War Memorial Stadium yesterday and concludes tomorrow.

"Honestly, there is hardly a day I don't think of it. It's the pinnacle of what we do, there is nothing else like it."

Success at the Golden Shears would be nothing new for Buick. In 1999 he was the intermediate champion but that would pale into absolute insignificance if he happened to capture the premier crown ... and so would anything else he has achieved in the past.

"I guess I've had my share of wins over the years but the Golden Shears open ... yes, that's definitely the one I want. It's the one we all want. It's the ultimate."

Buick made the open final last year. In fact, he came through the heats and semifinals as second top qualifier of the six finalists and immediately there was talk of him becoming the first "local" to claim the holy grail.

That didn't happen but there is good reason to suggest that if Buick makes the 2015 final he will be even more prepared to shoot for gold. In past months he has won the Australian Romney Shears crossbred title in Warrnamboo, the Wairarapa Spring Shears final, the open title at the Manawatu Shears and last weekend he was runner-up to David Fagan at the Pahiatua Shears.

Not one to talk himself up, Buick gives himself a "fair old chance" of being in the hunt for the major spoils come tomorrow night but he is also quick to emphasise that shearing is a sport where even the very best can be tripped up, sometimes through no fault of their own.

"Tricky sheep, equipment hassles ... you can never guarantee everything will go smoothly. At the top level you only have to have a slight hiccup and it can be all over."

Emotions always run high at the Golden Shears. David Fagan has won the event an incredible 16 times and with his retirement from competitive shearing coming next month it will be the last time he has the opportunity to increase that tally.

For David Buick Fagan is an "absolute class act", but he says sentiment will play no part if the two happen to meet up in the open final.

"Hell no, shearing is not like that. It's head down and into it, you are not worrying about what anybody else is doing. The whole focus is on your own performance."

Buick is through to the semifinals of the PGG Wrightson National Circuit event and is keen to progress further there and, along with Nathan Stratford and Colin O'Neill, he will represent New Zealand in their transtasman "test" against Australia.