Shearing: Big hopes for Duvauchelle shears

The Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears kick off this weekend. Photo / Supplied

There's a bit of ambition around the Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears which kick-off 2018 shearing competition in the South Island on Saturday.

Heading the competition organisation for the first time is James Dwyer who has a big stake in the event, having won in three of the four grades – the Junior final in 2002, the Intermediate title in 2003, and the Senior title in 2005 and 2006.

Now he's determined to make the competition grow, despite what has become a relative remoteness from the geographical heart of shearing in Canterbury in the switching of the focus from sheep farming to dairying in parts of the region.

The shears at the Duvauchelle Showgrounds, near Akaroa, are a C-grade show which has a varying quality and depth of entries from year to year, outside of the cluster of other Canterbury shows in October and November. He wants to elevate the competition to B-grade next year.

With the grading of shows based on the value of prizemoney, Mr Dwyer said: "One of the sponsors doubled his sponsorship. So we'd only need one more, we're only about $200 away."

Based on the quality of last year's champions the competition would warrant a lift in status. The Open final was won by former New Zealand representative and Rakaia shearer Grant Smith, the Senior final by up-and-coming Gore-based Taumarunui shearer Lionel Taumata, who is now emerging as one of the top Senior shearers in the country, the Intermediate title was won by Mitchell Murray, of Amberley, who a few weeks later won the Southland All Nations Intermediate title during the World Championships week in Invercargill, and the Junior final was won by Liam Norrie, a young Cheviot shearer who had 12 wins in the 2016-2017 season and became the top-ranked Junior throughout the country.

The small show has had plenty of other shearing luminaries among its winners over the years, the Open title having also been won by three-times Golden Shears champion and eventual MP Colin King, World lambshearing record holder Ivan Scott, multiple World title winner Sir David Fagan, and multiple national circuit winner Tony Coster.

Irish shearer Scott also won the Senior title which in the last decade has also had winners from Norway, England and Chile.

Mr Dwyer said overall numbers of entries at the shears, part of the 104th Duvauchelle A and P Show and one of more than 60 shearing shows throughout the country this season, change little from year to year, but they vary between grades.

About 350 two-tooth ewes are being prepared for the competition which starts at 10am, with shearing in all four classes from Junior to Open. A speedshear is also planned, but the climate in the area this year has provided some problems in getting lambs for the event.

Winners of Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears finals since over the last 25 years:

Open: 1992 Tony Prestage (Albury), 1993 Edsel Forde (Orepuki), 1994 Simon Harrison (Te Kuiti), 1995 Rod Sutton (Porangahau/Geraldine), 1996 Grant Black (Timaru), 1997 Selwyn Williams (Ashburton), 1998 Colin King (Christchurch), 1999 Colin King (Christchurch), 2000 Colin King (Christchurch), 2001 Gavin Rowland (Christchurch), 2002 Chris Jones (Blenheim), 2003 Rocky Bull (Ashburton), 2004 Richard Timu (Waipawa), 2005 Eru Weeds (Ashburton), 2006 Ivan Scott (Ireland), 2007 Jason Win (Ikamatua), 2008 Jason Win (Ikamatua), 2009 Jason Win (Ikamatua), 2010 Jason Win (Ikamatua), 2011 Jason Win (Ikamatua), 2012 Grant Smith (Rakaia), 2013 Grant Smith (Rakaia), 2014 David Fagan (Te Kuiti), 2015 Tony Coster (Rakaia), 2016 Tony Coster (Rakaia), 2017 Grant Smith (Rakaia).

Senior: 1992 Paul Crawford (Oxford), 1993 Neil Reid (Oxford), 1994 Robert McLaren (Ashburton), 1995 Robert McLaren (Hinds), 1996 Richard Tyree (Timaru), 1997 Shaun Burgess (Ashburton), 1998 Rocky Bull (Ashburton), 1999 Shaun Burgess (Ashburton), 2000 Richard Sampey (Rangiora), 2001 Nick Rose (West Melton), 2002 Sam Manson (Rakaia), 2003 Daniel Gundry (Ashburton), 2004 Ivan Scott (Ireland), 2005 James Dwyer (Springston), 2006 James Dwyer (Springston), 2007 Richard Millar (Nelson), 2008 Lachlan Holmes (Waimate), 2009 P.J.White (Nelson), 2010 Osmund Kringeland (Norway), 2011 Malcolm Sweeney (England), 2012 Greg Moriarty (Waiau), 2013 Lance Barnes (Diamond Harbour), 2014 Jock Barrett (Taumarunui), 2015 David Jackson (Sefton), 2016 Luis Pincol (Chile), 2017 Lionel Taumata (Taumarunui/Gore).

Intermediate: 1992 Anthony Thompson (Ashburton), 1993 Robert McLaren (Ashburton), 1994 Iain Hogg (Tapawera), 1995 Sam Manson (Banks Peninsula), 1996 Chris Back (Timaru), 1997 Peter Wright (Little River), 1998 Nick Rose (West Melton), 1999 Peter Wright (Little River), 2001 Shaun McNicoll (Waiau), 2002 James Smail (Tahuna), 2003 James Dwyer (Springston), 2004 Kerry Snell, 2005 Kiri Bond (Blenheim), 2006 Grant Lundie (Scotland), 2007 Lance Dennison (Nelson), 2008 P.J.White (Nelson), 2009 Shane Hackett (Christchurch), 2010 Calum Shaw (Scotland), 2011 Brendan Graham (Ireland), 2012 James Wilson (Hunterville), 2013 Vinnie Enright (Rangiora), 2014 Lyall Windleburn (Waiau), 2015 Hugh De Lacy (Fernside), 2016 Edward Harrington (Akaroa), 2017 Mitchell Murray (Amberley).

Junior: 1993 1994 Jason Win (Ikamatua), 1995 Peter Wright (Banks Peninsula), 1996 Chris Le Lievre (Banks Peninsula), 1997 Dion Roper (Timaru), 1998 Mark Hutchinson (Banks Peninsula), 1999 Joshua Kumeroa (Whanganui), 2001 E Ekke (Austria), 2002 James Dwyer (Springston), 2003 Sam Rogers (Banks Peninsula), 2005 Adrian Copp, 2006 Tom Harper, 2007 Shane Dennison (Mayfield), 2008 Francis Pickles, 2009 Rowan Forrest (Scotland), 2010 Brendan Graham (Ireland), 2011 Ray Kinsman (Fairlie), 2012 Ethan Pankhurst (Masterton), 2013 Cory Smith (Rakaia), 2014 Joel Richards (Oamaru), 2015 Emily Te Kapa (Scotland), 2016 Sarah Higgins (Havelock), 2017 Liam Norrie (Cheviot).