It was a tough day at the office for the Wools of New Zealand Shearing Sports New Zealand team of Jack Fagan and David Buick, as they were beaten in the first test against Wales at the Cothi Shears on Saturday, by 7.25pts.
The Kiwis were up against Llyr Jones and Gethin Lewis, who scored Wales’ first test match win in New Zealand earlier this year when they beat Masterton brothers-in-law Paerata Abraham and David Gordon at the end of a three-test series.
But there was some good news for the Kiwi pair, with both making the five-man Cothi Shears Open, won by Jones, with 2019 World Champion Richard Jones in second place, Te Kuiti shearer Fagan third, reigning World Champion Gwion Lloyd Evans fourth and Buick, from Pongaroa, in fifth place.
Jones dominated the pace in both the test and the open final, each over 20 sheep.
He shore the test in 13m 41s, with Buick next-off 24 seconds later, with Lewis substantiating the Welsh win with best quality points.