The win on Saturday, the anniversary, was thus extra special, showcasing the skill gleaned from the mentorship of Goss and Puha's own mum, former open competitions winner and now judge, Rose Puha.
Ngaira Puha reached her first open final at the Horowhenua show in January, having recently finished working regularly in the woolsheds to concentrate her primary teaching studies and become a youth residence worker. She finished runner-up to Herbert.
Puha said she had no idea when she first competed, but when she, her siblings and cousins went to competitions with her mum, it wasn't just to sit around and watch, she said.
Older brother Connor Puha has been a champion shearer and woolhandler and younger nephew Cortez Ostler has been a junior and senior woolhandler.
The open shearing final provided the second South Island win in two years, with victory to Mataura shearer Brett Roberts by just over a point, from Manawatu shearer Aaron Haynes, with Scots international and Southern Hawke's Bay farmer Gavin Mutch third.
Jack Fagan, of Te Kuiti, was first to finish the 20 second-shear sheep, clocked at 17min 6sec, with Roberts next in 17min 38sec.
Former No 1-ranked intermediate Daniel Biggs won the senior shearing final, Logan Bethell, of Levin, won the intermediate final, Cameron Artz, the junior final, and Te Anna Phillips, of Taumarunui, the novice final.
Phillips was also runner-up to sister Vinniye in the senior woolhandling, while the junior woolhandling provided another success for Tre Ratana Sciascia, of Feilding, and the novice woolhandling was won by Brenna Ratima, also of Feilding.
The championships attracted 77 entries (49 shearers, 28 woolhandlers), of which more than half (38) were in junior and novice events. There were also seven in the veterans shearing, won by event committee chairman Russell Knight.
It was the last of just four shearing sports shows in the North Island this summer after the cancellation of 28 others due to Covid-19 restrictions.
In the South Island, just 10 of the 27 scheduled shows were held.
The qualifying rounds of the PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit, which had three rounds in the South Island in October-November, were completed with two rounds at Apiti.
The top 12 go to the finals this Saturday at Armidale Merino Stud in Central Otago.
Results from the Apiti and Districts Show shearing and woolhandling championships at Apiti on Saturday, February 26, 2022:
Shearing:
Open final (20sheep): Brett Roberts (Mataura) 17min 38sec, 61.45pts, 1; Aaron Haynes (Feilding) 18min 35sec, 62.5pts, 2; Gavin Mutch (Scotland/Dannevirke) 18min 48sec, 64.35pts, 3; Paerata Abraham (Masterton) 17min 50sec, 64.65pts, 4; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 17min 6sec, 65.15pts, 5; Matene Mason (Masterton) 19min 18sec, 70.5pts, 6.
Senior final (12 sheep): Daniel Biggs (Mangamahu) 12min 54sec, 49.1167pts, 1; Joseph Gordon (Masterton) 12min 20sec, 51.25pts, 2; Forde Alexander (Taumarunui) 13min 20sec, 52.4167pts, 3; Tama Nahona (Whanganui/Kaiwaka) 12min 48sec, 53.7333pts, 4; Quinton Chase (Taumarunui) 14min 36sec, 57.1333pts, 5; Adam Gordon (Masterton) 13min 44sec, 58.1167pts, 6.
Intermediate final (6 sheep): Logan Bethell (Levin) 8min 37sec, 35.0167pts, 1; Tini Papanui (-) 9min 22sec, 36.7667pts, 2; Aiden Tarrant (Piopio) 8min 35sec, 38.75pts, 3; Heath Barnsdall (Piopio) 10min18sec, 40.4pts, 4; Matthew Smith (Otorohanga) 9min 50sec, 40.8333pts, 5; James Noble-Campbell (Onewhero) 12min 29sec, 46.1167pts, 6.
Junior final (4 sheep): Cameron Artz (Raetihi) 10min 19sec, 43.95pts, 1; Jack McKinnon (Feilding) 10min 43sec, 45.15pts, 2; Emma Kendrick (Feilding) 11min 12sec, 49.85pts, 3; Patrick Smailes (Ohingaiti) 10min 28sec, 49.9pts, 4; Gevius Hughes (Taumarunui) 8min 42sec, 54.85pts, 5; Sam Parker (Raglan) 10min 9sec, 56.45pts, 6.
Novice final (2 sheep): Te Anna Phillips (Taumarunui) 8min 14sec, 38.7pts, 1; Fergus Casey (Cambridge) 8min 24sec, 39.7pts, 2; Marshall Buckman (Apiti) 7min 12sec, 40.6pts, 3; Lachie Matthews (Feilding) 7min 51sdec, 41.55pts, 4; Abbey Grant (Feilding) 10min 37sec, 47.35pts, 5; Angus Wigglesworth (Feilding) 8min 11sec, 59.05pts, 6.
Veterans (2 sheep): Russell Knight (Apiti 3min 14sec, 13.7pts, 1; Blair McCarroll (Apiti) 2min 54sec, 18.2pts, 2' Peter McCabe (Tauranga) 3min 50sec, 19.5pts, 3; Scrub Buckman (Apiti) 2min 59sec, 20.45pts, 4; Blair Rhodes (Whanganui) 2min 58sec, 22.4pts, 5; Ross Jervis (-) 3min 42sec, 27.1pts, 6.
Woolhandling:
Open final: Ngaira Puha (Kimbolton) 74.78pts, 1; Chelsea Collier (Masterton) 76.09pts, 2; Lucky Garrett (Eketahuna) 84.43pts, 3; Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti) 185.5pts, 4.
Senior final: Vinniye Phillips (Taumarunui) 58.34pts, 1; Te Anna Phillips (Taumarunui) 85.12pts, 2; C.J.Darlington (Havelock North) 86.97pts, 3; Lucy Gee (-) 202.32pts, 4.
Junior final: Tre Ratana Sciascia (Feilding) 96.5pts, 1 Amy Bell (Weber) 98.25pts, 2; Lekisha Ruki-George (Waitomo) 100.4pts, 3; Emma Kendrick (Feilding) 110.762pts, 4.
Novice: Brenna Ratima (Feilding) 47.25pts, 1; Grace Carman (Feilding) 55.47pts, 2; Chloe Henderson (Feilding) 57.16pts, 3; Stacey Hikawai (-) 63.724pts, 4.
