Te Kuiti shearer Jack Fagan avoided the temptation to chase the speed shears in the south by going north and winning a 20-sheep final at the 129th Northern Wairoa A and P show at Arapohue on Saturday.
There were eight entries in the open class, despite the remoteness of the venue, which is more than 370km from Dargaville and almost 180km north of Auckland.
Fagan won by two-and-a-half points from former Silverdale and Napier shearer Phil Wedd, with local shearer Neville Osborne third, after being first off in the quick time of 17min 2sec.
It was a repeat of the placings in the first Whangarei A and P Show open final in December.
Another feature was the first senior win for Alan Boler, of Welsford, after eight seasons and 13 wins in the intermediate grade.
Alan Boler of Wellsford won his first senior title at Arapohue on Saturday, pictured at the new Whangarei A and P Show Shears in December. Photo / SSNZ
Rex Finlayson, of Kai Iwi Lakes won the intermediate, Paul Finlayson the junior, and Tessa Berger, of Ahuroa, the novice final.
With 28 entries across the grades, the programme was bolstered with the Veterans event, won by Allan Bramley, with competition organiser Kevin Boyd the runner-up and later emphatically rating it a "brilliant" day.
It was the fourth show of the seven north of Auckland this season, with northernmost show North Hokianga at Broadwood next Saturday, Kumeu on March 13, and Warkworth on March 20.
