A close battle is expected for the last three places in this year's Wrightson PGG National shearing competition when the last of the five qualifying rounds is held during the Pahiatua Shears this Sunday.
Invercargill shearers Troy Pyper and former winner Nathan Stratford head a list of nine who have already sealed their places among the 12 for the semifinals to be shorn on the last day of the Golden Shears, being held in Masterton from March 3 to 5, but all the other entrants still have a chance of making the cut as well.
The qualifying is based on points for placings in the finewool round at the New Zealand Merino Championships in Alexandra and the longwool round of the Spring Shears in Waimate, both in October, the New Zealand Corriedale Championships at the Canterbury Show in November, the lambshear round at the Rangitikei Sports Shears in Marton two weeks ago, and next weekend's second-shear round.
The top six in the semifinals at the Golden Shears will shear a few hours later in a final over 15 sheep each -- three from each type of wool.
The Wrightson PGG National incorporates the McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown, first presented in 1973 to find a national all-breeds shearing champion, with the major prize being a place in the New Zealand transtasman series team in 2016-2017.
