In form and prepared to take Golden opportunity

Cam Ferguson isn't letting what he sees as a minor hiccup play on his mind as he aims to win his first open title at the 50th Golden Shears in Masterton this week.
Ferguson, 26, from Waipawa didn't even manage to make the quarter-finals at the Pahiatua Shears on Saturday but he puts that down to having one of those days which every competitive shearer has to confront from time to time
''Things just didn't go well, it was a bad day at the office,'' Ferguson said yesterday.
''I had a few difficult sheep and I never got going, it was pretty much as simple as that. It's not a worry, those things happen.''
Overall, however, Ferguson has been in the form of his life on the competitive scene in recent months, so much so that no less an authority than 16 times winner of the Golden Shears crown, David Fagan, suggested to the Times-Age a couple of weeks back he could be the one to beat in 2010.
Just a couple of weeks back Ferguson was second to Dion King, of Hastings, in the prestigious Southern Shears at Gore as well as taking the South Island Shearer of the Year title from none other than David Fagan. And a week earlier he won the open event at the Otago championships in Balclutha.
Ferguson's best placings to date in the open section at the Golden Shears have been two eighths but he says his confidence has never been higher going into this week's event. The event comprises of open heats on Friday afternoon, followed by the top 30 eliminations on Friday night, the semifinals on Saturday afternoon and the grand final on Saturday night.
''I know I'm shearing the best I ever have and I also know I'll need to be in top form to have any chance of winning at the Golden Shears _ everybody wants to win that one,'' he said, and added he expected the competition to be so hot that even making it past the heats would be difficult.
With that in mind Ferguson knows the perils of predicting just who his main rivals are likely to be, but he admits to looking towards Southern Shears winner King and, of course, the master himself, David Fagan, whose ability to peak for the Golden Shears is legendary.
''Honestly, I think there are probably nine or 10 who could win it, and that's no kidding,'' Ferguson said. ''It's going to be huge, really huge.''
For Te Kuiti shearer Dean Ball winning the Pahiatua Shears on Saturday was nothing new as he was the defending champion but the Golden Shears hasn't exactly been his lucky event.
There he has made 11 of the past 12 finals but is still to chalk up his first success.
Ball had to rely on his quality to win at Pahiatua as he was third off the board, behind Hawke's Bay duo John Kirkpatrick and Dion King, both of whom are past Golden Shears champions.
Ultimately Ball won by 0.016pts from Kirkpatrick _ whose 16mins 26.07secs was the fastest time for shearing the 20 sheep _ with 1.2pts back to King and then a further point back to David Fagan in fourth place.
Fifth was world champion Paul Avery, of Taranaki, who headed the five qualifiers for the final, all of whom were separated by less than a point, and who with Fagan posted the fastest semifinal time of 9mins 36secs for 10 sheep.
David Fagan also cemented favourite position for the PGG Wrightson national title, by taking top qualifying place in the 12 for the semifinals to be held in Masterton on Saturday.
He will be aiming for a 10th win in this event for which the top 12 were decided on points after heats held at Alexandra (finewool), Waimate (fullwool), Christchurch (corriedale), Raglan (lambs) and Pahiatua (second shear).
Also at Pahiatua Gisborne teenager Wi Ngarangione maintained an unbeaten record in seven intermediate competitions from Gisborne to Wairarapa this season, and another teenager, Sarah Goss, from Kimbolton, won her first junior title.