Dannevirke kicks-off a big weekend of shearing

Action at today's Dannevirke A and P Association Shearing and Woolhandling Championships. Photo / Supplied

Another big weekend of shearing throughout New Zealand is underway, kicked off by the Dannevirke A and P Show Shears in Southern Hawke’s Bay.

Heats for the five shearing titles and four wool handling titles on offer, began at 8:30 am this morning.

A further four competitions are scheduled across the weekend, along with a World Record attempt and a major shearing-based fundraiser - both in the South Island.

On Saturday, the Northern Kaipara A and P Association’s Paparoa Show will go ahead, despite the impacts of the last week’s storms in Northland and Auckland.

The Rangitikei Shearing Sports’ North Island Shearing and Woolhandling Championships will be held in Marton the same day – an event which includes the fourth round of the PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit.

Rounding out the trifecta on Saturday will be the Reefton Shears at the Inangahua A and P Show in Reefton.

The Aria Waitangi Day Sports Shears are on Monday - first held in 1956 and thought to be the longest-running shearing sports competition in the country.

However, other competitions predating the event in rural King Country have been held in and out of recess over the years.

Also on Saturday, at Fairlight Station in Southland, King Country shearer Sacha Bond will attempt the women’s solo eight-hour strong wool lambs World Record.

The Record currently stands at 510, after being set by Canadian shearer Pauline Bolay in a Waikato woolshed in December 2019.

The Shear 4 A Cause Shearathon will start the same day at 6 am, at Moa Flat in West Otago, and will finish on Sunday at 2 pm.