No.8 Wire: Speed shearing's new blood steps up

Joel Henare.

Followers of the country's shearing guns may see some new names appearing among the winners over the next two years.

New world champion Rowland Smith, of Hastings, is taking a break from competition and World Championships teammate John Kirkpatrick, of Napier, is out of action after suffering a shoulder injury in the UK three months ago.

Now rumours are gathering pace that the legendary David Fagan may call this season his last on the show circuit.

Last summer, they won 23 open finals between them, Kirkpatrick topping Shearing Sports New Zealand's national ranking with points from an extraordinary 26 finals, but with Smith scoring the most individual wins - 11.

Former world champion Cam Ferguson, of Waipawa, is one taking the bit, winning his third New Zealand Spring Shears Open title last weekend in what is thought to have been the fastest time in the history of the 16-sheep final.

Meanwhile, Golden Shears wool handling champion Joel Henare, of Gisborne, has started the season strongly with victory at the New Zealand Merino Championships in Alexandra, and his first Waimate title.

Time's running out
Early registrations for the 407 sites at the 2015 Northland Field Days at Dargaville on February 26-28 are up 50 per cent.

Businesses need to move quickly to book the 10 per cent of sites still available, says event co-ordinator Meagan Edmonds. To book see www.northlandfielddays.co.nz; email her at info@northlandfielddays.co.nz; or call (09) 439 8998.

Referendum numbers
Preliminary results for the referendum for a new new wool commodity levy, which closed on Friday, show wool growers voted 43.2 per cent to 56.8 per cent against introducing the levy while the weighted vote from larger enterprises was against the levy 40.29 per cent to 59.71 per cent.

Berries off to Oz
Shannon and Robert Auton, who bought a rundown 9ha blueberry orchard in 2000, have signed a multimillion-dollar deal for Omaha Organic Berries to supply products to 750 Coles supermarkets in Australia, where they already supply 860 Woolworths stores.