Shears excitement promised

Golden Shears president Mavis Mullins is convinced the 2009 edition of this time-honoured event will lack nothing on the score of exciting competition.
Starting tomorrow and going through to the grand finale at the Genesis Recreation Centre on Saturday night, Mullins says there will be plenty to keep spectators on the edge of their seats.
She anticipates a big turnout of the public on the Friday and Saturday nights of the events in particular and says people unable to get to Masterton will still be able to watch the action live via the Golden Shears website.
The novice shearing heats will kick off a hectic schedule at 8am tomorrow morning and from there a full programme of shearing, woolhandling and pressing competitions will be held over the three days, interspersed as it will be by on-stage entertainment.
The inaugural shearing test between Wales and New Zealand will be a feature of Friday night's fare while Saturday will, of course, see the final of the open shearing class.
Mullins says predicting a winner of the big one is difficult with spoils being shared at lead-in events but names likely to be to the fore are defending champion John Kirkpatrick, 2008 world champion Paul Avery and Dean Ball, a winner at Pahiatua just last weekend.