Hawke's Bay shearer Rowland Smith winning the Golden Shears open title for the eighth time. Photo / Pete Nikolaison / Golden Shears Media Group
Hawke's Bay shearer Rowland Smith winning the Golden Shears open title for the eighth time. Photo / Pete Nikolaison / Golden Shears Media Group
Champion shearer Rowland Smith will line up as the firm favourite to complete a Golden Shears and New Zealand Shears open championships double for an eighth time in Te Kuiti this week.
But, having secured the first of two New Zealand World Championships machine shearing berths by winning the Golden Shears title in Masterton again on March 4, Smith isn’t underestimating the job.
Having been beaten five times in finals this season, Smith said he’s never seen such a strong line-up of contenders as those who are challenging for the second place in the team – which will be decided in about 16 minutes of shearing on Saturday night.
The New Zealand Shears, first held in 1985 and cancelled in 2020 and 2022 because of the Covid-19 crisis, starts on Thursday and ends on Saturday.
Hawke’s Bay gun Smith, who grew up in Northland, agreed “100 per cent” that there were at least six or seven who would not surprise if they were to make the cut – either by beating him - or being the best of the New Zealanders in the field behind him
They are headed by another Northland shearer, Toa Henderson, who, in winning 11 titles this season, has beaten Smith in four finals and is well-placed to be Shearing Sports New Zealand’s No 1-ranked shearer for the season, based on points for placings.
As it happens, Henderson has not yet reached a Golden Shears or New Zealand Shears open final.
Despite this, on Saturday he again highlighted his potential by winning the Waitomo Caves Sports Shears final, shearing the 20 sheep in 15min 50sec and beating next-man-off Smith by 24 seconds – more than half a sheep – and ultimately by 2.3pts on the scoreboard.
Also with the best overall quality points, it was a big achievement, with renowned quick shearers Digger Balme, of Otorohanga, and Leon Samuels, of Invercargill, also in the four-man final and each finishing more than a sheep behind the winner.
Samuels ranks as among those most seriously challenging for the second place in the team for Scotland in June, having won two National Shearing Circuit finals on the Te Kuiti board.
Te Kuiti woolhandler Keryn Herbert and Southland shearer Leon Samuels, big hopes in the New Zealand Shears open championships in Te Kuiti this week, pictured after respective circuit final wins when the Shears were last held in 2021. Photo / SSNZ
He also shore with Smith in their second New Zealand team win over the Welsh Development team, having opened the three-match Wools of New Zealand Series with victory at the Waimarino Shears in Raetihi a week earlier.
Other contenders include John Kirkpatrick - the 2017 World Champion and 2008, 2009 and 2012 New Zealand Shears champion and 2021 runner-up - and World Champion teams teammate Nathan Stratford, of Invercargill.
Eketahuna shearer Hemi Braddick is also in with a shot.
Braddick finished fourth in 2021, was fourth at the Golden Shears, and has had his first two open wins and among nine finals this season.
Te Kuiti’s Jack Fagan has yet to reach his home-town final but has won national titles on Corriedales at Christchurch and lambs at Winton this season.
Hawke's Bay gun John Kirkpatrick pictured at the 2021 New Zealand Shears, when he was open final runner-up. He is a contender to win the open title for a fourth time. Photo / SSNZ
Second-time Golden Shears finalist Paerata Abraham and brother-in-law and fellow Masterton shearer and two-times Te Kuiti lower-grades winner David Gordon will also be making a strong bid - as will Te Kuiti shearer Mark Grainger, who shore the 2021 final’s 20 sheep in under 16 minutes.
Expected to be pushing them all is Southern Hawke’s Bay farmer Gavin Mutch - Scottish international, 2012 World champion and 2015 Golden Shears winner - who won the major title at the Waimate Spring Shears in October and three other open finals this season.
Two who have not entered and who would have been among the contenders are Golden Shears runner-up Angus Moore, of Ward in Marlborough, former Golden Shears runner-up and Manawatū shearer Aaron Haynes, and Mataura shearer Brett Roberts, who was fifth at Te Kuiti in 2021.
Masterton shearer Paerata Abraham pictured in the 2021 New Zealand Shears Circuit final in Te Kuiti. Photo / SSNZ
Masterton shearer Adam Gordon won Saturday’s senior Waitomo Caves final, turning the tables on Piopio shearer Clay Harris, to whom he had been runner-up at the Golden Shears.
Wairoa shearer Bruce Grace scored his eighth intermediate win of the season by 1.3pts from Sean Fagan, of Te Kuiti, with England shearer Callum Bosley placed third.
The junior final provided a first win for Arvell Rapana, of Raetihi.
At Te Kuiti, the open shearers also have the New Zealand Shears Circuit and North Island Shearer of the Year titles to shear for, with Smith a contender to repeat the treble he claimed in 2017.
Four-times open woolhandling champion Joel Henare confirmed on Monday he won’t be defending the title, while nine-time winner Sheree Alabaster has also confirmed she will not be competing because of other commitments.
Their absences will open up opportunities for local Master Woolhandler and Golden Shears runner-up Keryn Herbert – a New Zealand 2010 World teams Champion, who will represent Cook Islands at the 2023 World Championships.
Herbert is yet to win a Golden Shears or New Zealand open title.
Others in contention include Candy Hiri, of Gore, and Ngaio Hanson, of Eketahuna, who in Masterton won the two New Zealand woolhandling berths at the World Championships.
The lineup after the 2021 women's shearing final, won by Catherine Mullooly. A women's event is again on the programme this week at the NZ Shears. Photo / SSNZ
Hanson’s sister, Ana Braddick, will also compete, after finishing third in the Golden Shears final, as will Napier-based Jasmin Tipoki, from Martinborough, who was fourth in Masterton.
Among other entries is 2013 winner Hanatia Tipene, the only winner of the New Zealand Shears open woolhandling title apart from Henare and Alabaster since 2009.
It will be the last woolhandling show of the season and the first in four weeks since the Golden Shears.
Leading senior contenders are expected to be the 2021 junior winner and 2023 Golden Shears senior champion Rahera Kerr, of Hauturu, and Taumarunui sisters Te Anna and Vinniye Phillips.
