Growing by the day, the hundreds of competitors will then hit the Golden Shears for the next three days (February 29-March 2) in Masterton.
This is where the event has been held annually since its establishment in 1961 - apart from Covid-era cancellations in 2021 and 2022.
Spearheading interest are large increases in entries in recent major competitions in both the central North Island and Otago-Southland, growth in the numbers of emerging competitors from overseas in the lower grades, shearing sports’ recent high profile due to a series of mainly successful world records bids and prospects for the Golden Shears open finals, dominated over the last decade by shearer Rowland Smith and woolhandler Joel Henare.
Also in the mix is whether the South Island can claim its first Golden Shears open shearing title in 35 years, in the event which has attracted the acclaim of being the “Wimbledon of Shearing”.
Read more farming and rural stories on The Country.
Meanwhile, Smith, who grew up in Northland but lives in Hawke’s Bay, won first-up for the season on February 2 at the Dannevirke Show, but at the weekend was beaten by current Northland gun Toa Henderson at both the Southern Shears in Gore and the Counties Shears, 24 hours later in Pukekohe.
Travelling huge distances, Henderson has had a string of open 20-sheep-final wins in the last month, at Taihape, Marton, Aria and the two last weekend, dominated by speed, which has seen him first to finish in all but one of the showdowns, sometimes by close to or more than a sheep.
Read more shearing and woolhandling stories here.
At Gore, Te Kūiti shearer Jack Fagan claimed the time honours by more than 20 seconds. He and Henderson fought a close battle at Pukekohe the next day, Henderson keeping a hold on the quality just enough to claim the win, with Smith’s best-of-final quality points enabling him to claim second place overall.
The big South Island challengers are Leon Samuels, who last April became the first shearer to win Te Kūiti’s New Zealand Shears open final since 1993, and Nathan Stratford, who has reached half the Golden Shears open finals in the new millennium but is yet to add the title to his major success at the Golden Shears, the multi-breeds national shearing circuit title in 2014.
South Island-based Gisborne woolhandler Joel Henare has nine consecutive Golden Shears open titles to his name but is being lined up by 2019 World Team champion Pagan Rimene, of Alexandra, who has burst back into calculations with wins in the New Zealand Woolhandler of the Year final at the Otago Shears and in the Southern Shears open final in the last fortnight.
Lower grade interest has been spurred particularly by the recent performers of shearers from Australia in a unique “ambassadors” transtasman shearing exchange, led by New Zealand trainers Elite Wool Industry Training.
Recent shearing and woolhandling results
Southern Shears
Gore on Friday-Saturday February 16-17, 2024
Shearing
Inter-Island (10 sheep): South Island (Leon Samuels 9m 40.94s, 36.147pts; Casey Bailey 10m 17s, 36.75pts, 2; Nathan Stratford 11m 4.35s, 37.6175pts) 110.5145pts, beat North Island (Rowland Smith 10m 35.29s, 37.0645pts; Toa Henderson 9m 36.13s, 37.5065pts; Paerata Abraham 10m 16.41s, 37.5205pts) 112.0915pts.
Open final (20 sheep): Leon Samuels (Invercargill/Roxburgh) 17m 14.71s, 55.1355pts, 1; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka, Northland) 16m 48.4s, 56.62pts, 2; Rowland Smith (Maraekakaho) 17m 31.1s, 57.505pts, 3; Jack Fagan (Te Kūiti) 16m 24.84s, 58.042pts, 4; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 18m 10.81s, 58.5405pts, 5; Corey Palmer (Dipton) 18m 6.5s, 59.275pts, 6.
South Island Shearer of the Year (20 sheep): Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka, Northland) 17m 6.19s, 58.4595pts, 1; Leon Samuels (Invercargill/Roxburgh) 17m 40.97s, 59.5985pts, 2; Jack Fagan (Te Kūiti) 17m 36.25s, 60.4625pts, 3; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 18m 10.03s, 62.9015pts, 4; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 19m 45.12s, 64.806pts, 5; Corey Palmer (Dipton) 19m 32.5s, 65.125pts, 6.
Senior final (12 sheep): Nathan Bee (Gore) 14m 37.9s, 49.9783pts, 1; Dre Roberts (Mataura) 14m 12.44s, 50.7887pts, 2; Blake McKenzie (Riverton) 14m 54.75s, 51.3208pts, 3; Chris Malcolm (Winton) 15m 25.62s, 51.9477pts, 4; Jack Pringle (Balclutha) 7m 50.57s, 53.9452pts, 5; Liam Norrie (Cheviot) 17m 39.41s, 62.0528pts, 6.
Intermediate final (4 sheep): Cody Waihape (Gore) 6m 0.65s, 24.2825pts, 1; Emma Martin (Gore) 6m 16.46s, 24.573pts, 2; Dylan Lowe (Punthari, South Australia) 5m 26.38s, 25.819pts, 3; Julian Karl (Traunstein, Germany) 6m 5.1s, 26.505pts, 4; Ethan Tomney (Cungena, South Australia) 6m 46.09s, 27.5545pts, 5; Stephane Celhabe (Osses, France) 6m 30.66s, 29.533pts, 6.
Junior final (3 sheep): Grace Schoff (Chinchilla, Queensland) 6m 43.72s, 25.5193pts. 1; Tom Borlase (Southland) 6m 25.09s, 26.2545pts, 2; Sam McGuigan (Gore) 7m 30.16s, 26.8413pts, 3; Tom Pritchard (-) 7m 7.5s, 29.375pts, 4; Connor Wilkinson (Wyndham) 8m 20.91s, 29.7122pts, 5; Reuben Wilkinson (Wyndham) 8m 17.07s, 33.5202pts, 6.
Women’s final 3 sheep): Emma Martin (Gore) 5m 0.78s, 20.3723pts, 1; Chloe Bingham (Port Waikato) 8m 13.556s, 31.3445pts, 2; Sonya Fagan (Ōtorohanga) 8m 3.44s, 35.5053pts, 3; Chloe Lund (Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, England) 8m 56.85s, 38.5092pts, 4; Megan Walker (Preston, Lancashire, England) 10m 7.41s, 40.3705pts, 5; Taryn Perriam (Invercargill) 8m 46.72s, 42.6693pts, 6.
Woolhandling
Open final: Pagan Rimene (Alexandra) 124.712pts, 1; Cushla Abraham (Masterton) 139.31pts, 2; Amy Ferguson (Invercargill) 173.34pts, 3; Keryn Herbert (Te Kūiti) 4; Nova Kumeroa-Elers (Mataura) 5; Lashara McGure Ratima (Winton) 6.
Senior final: Saskia Tuhakaraina (Gore) 66.13pts, 1; Autumn Waihape (Gore) 107.506pts, 2; Krystal Gulliver (Gore) 129.612pts, 3; Tre Ratima Sciascia (Taihape) 171.938pts, 4.
Junior final: Lucy Elers (Mataura) 83.16pts, 1; Ashley Clarke (Gore) 96.544pts, 2; Te Aroha Little (Balclutha) 97.03pts, 3; Waikawa Sciascia (Porangahau) 119.32pts, 4.
Novice: Vicky Kawenga (Mataura) 72.22pts, 1; Alyssa Bartlett (Gore) 74.53pts, 2; Queen Hiri (Gore) 84.25pts, 3; Peighton Kimura-Boyes (Gore) 86.03pts, 4.
North Hokianga A&P Show Shears
Broadwood, Far North, on Saturday, February 17, 2024
Open final: Andrew Deverall (Tauranga), 1; Neville Osborne (Dargaville), 2; Luke St George (Houhora), 3.
Senior final: Michael Boyd (Dargaville), 1; Alan Boler (Wellsford), 2; Roger Cook (Okaihau), 3.
Intermediate final: Dannielle Boyd (Dargaville), 1; Rex Finlayson (Kai Iwi Lakes), 2; Liam Smedley (Kāeo), 3.
Junior final: Paul Finlayson (Kai Iwi Lakes), 1; Sam Story (Coatesville), 2.
Novice: Hamish Cook (Ōkaihau) 1.
Ohura
Ohura A&P Show Shears on Saturday, February 17, 2024
Shearing
Open final: Gavin Mutch (Scotland/Dannevrke), 1; Clay Harris (Piopio), 2; Mark Grainger (Te Kūiti), 3; Reuben Alabaster (Taihape), 4.
Senior final: Forde Alexander (Taumarunui), 1; Sean Fagan (Ōtorohanga), 2; Rakai Barrett (Kāwhia), 3; Mark Ferguson (Elsthorpe), 4.
Intermediate final: Jake Goldsbury (Waitotara), 1; Heath Barnsdall (Piopio), 2; Logan Blackburn (Tangiwai), 3; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora/Te Kūiti), 4.
Junior final: Lachie Cameron (Kimbolton), 1; Maaka Nikora-Powell (Taumarunui), 2; Levi Mason (-), 3; Tana Maguire (Piopio), 4.
Woolhandling
Open final: Logan Kamura (Marton) 34.1pts, 1; Miri Haig (Taumarunui) 35.8pts, 2; Keryn Herbert (Te Kūiti) 44pts, 4.
Senior final: Anne Cannell (Gisborne) 44.22pts, 1; Lee George (Piopio) 55.7pts, 2; Vinniye Phillips (Taumarunui) 65.3pts, 3.
Junior final: Rahera Lewis (Taihape) 48.1pts, 1; Alice Otimi (-) 53.2pts, 2; Paige Marshall (Taumarunui) 56.9pts, 3.
Murchison A&P Show Shears
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Open final (20 sheep): Travers Baigent (Wakefield) 19m 21.94s, 67.5pts, 1; Nick Nalder (Takaka) 20m 28.54s, 74.58pts, 2; Chris Jones (Blenheim) 23m 8.44s, 83.92pts, 3; Frank Bint (Nelson) 25m 49.97s, 92.85pts, 4.
Open Plate (10 sheep): Richard Sampey (Blenheim) 11m 15.94s, 44.4pts, 1; Baden Barker (Tapawera) 12m 52.87s, 50.34pts, 2; Sam Win (Ikamatua) 13m 0.72s, 52.94pts, 3.
Senior final (10 sheep): Rob Hervey (Murchison) 11m 54.44s, 47.32pts, 1.
Intermediate final (3 sheep): Pam Irvine (Tapawera) 6m 52.31s, 37.28pts, 1.
Junior: Tom Curnow (Collingwood) 1; Ashlee Blanchett (Nelson) 2.
Cleanshear (2 sheep): Nick Nalder (Takaka) 6.5pts, 1; Chris Jones (Blenheim) 7pts, 2; Travers Baigent (Wakefield) 8.5pts, 3; Frank Bint (Nelson) 10pts, 4.
Counties Shears
Franklin A&P Show on Sunday, February 18, 2024
Open final: Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 53pts, 1; Rowland Smith (Maraekakaho) 54.9pts, 2; Jack Fagan (Te Kūiti) 57pts, 3; Mark Grainger (Te Kūiti) 58.1pts, 4; Gavin Mutch (Scotland/Dannevirke) 62.3pts, 5.
Senior final: Tommy Stephenson (Dargaville) 44.1pts, 1; Daniel Seed (Tokoroa) 46.7pts, 2; Michael Boyd (Dargaville) 49.1pts, 3; Alan Boler (Wellsford) 51.1pts, 4; Lee Cheyne (Te Kauwhata) 51.55pts, 5.
Intermediate final: Heath Barnsdall (Piopio) 32.13pts, 1; Cheyden Winiana (Nuhaka) 35.4pts, 2; Martin Marshall (-) 36.38pts, 3; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora/Te Kuiti) 36.9pts, 4; Matthew Smith (Otorohanga) 39.5pts, 5.
Junior final: Thomas Marchant (Maramarua) 39.4pts, 1; Arana Marshall (-) 50pts, 2; Keith Marshall (Te Akau) 55.8pts, 3.
Veterans: Lee Cheyne (Te Kauwhata) 16.7pts, 1; Peter McCabe (Katikati) 18.4pts, 2; Mike Henderson (Kaiwaka) 21.9pts, 3; Michael Hegglin (Aria) 26.95pts, 4; David Hodge (Te Puke) 27.2pts, 5.
