Manager, judge and champion

The New Zealand shearing team manager was a busy man at the Royal Welsh Show at Llanellwedd, Builth Wells, last Tuesday.

Not only did Willie Buick have his usual managerial duties to perform but he was called upon to help out with the judging because of several local judges taking a day off to attend to duties on their farms while they had the benefit of fine weather, a rare occurrence during one of the wettest summers on record in the UK.

Buick also found time to compete in the veterans (over 60 years) shearing event and did his country proud, winning that particular title.

The Royal Welsh Show attracts more than 200,000 people each July and the Kiwis were in outstanding form, the Royal Welsh All Nations open and senior finals being won respectively by Te Kuiti (and Golden Shears) legend David Fagan and his son Jack.

David Fagan was recording his 13th win in the event and second victory on the current tour of the UK in three weeks.

It took his worldwide tally of wins in 30 years of open class shearing to a phenomenal 615, including more than 150 in Britain.

Fagan's success interrupted the winning form of Napier shearer John Kirkpatrick, who had earlier racked up five wins and two seconds in seven competitions on the UK tour.

Kirkpatrick and his New Zealand teammate Nathan Stratford did, however, combine to beat Wales in a test match.