White said he was "really pleased" with how well the shears went, thanks to "a really good committee".
Waimate woolhandler Renee Rempala prepares the fleece in the junior final. Photo / Sally Brooker
While some organisations struggled to find helpers, if anything needed to be done for the shears there were two volunteers ready to do it, he said.
A highlight of the competition was a transtasman blade shearing test, won by New Zealand's reigning world champions, Geraldine's Allan Oldfield and Fairlie's Tony Dobbs. They beat fellow world championship finalists John Dalla and Ken French.
Lucy Avery, of Waimate, gathers the fleece shorn by Bill Melville, of Waimate, in the junior woolhandling final. Photo / Sally Brooker
The home-and-away series continues in Dubbo next month.
Despite their test win, both Oldfield and Dobbs were beaten in the open blades final by Wakari New Zealand representative Mike McConnell. His victory secures his place in next year's transtasman series.
Nathan Stratford, from Invercargill, successfully defended the open machine shearing title. His 10th Waimate win puts him just one behind Sir David Fagan.
Stratford was the fourth fastest to shear his 16 sheep, but the quality of his work elevated him to first. Manawatu's Aaron Haynes was second and Invercargill's Leon Samuels third.
Photo / Sally Brooker
Pagan Karauria, of Alexandra, dominated the open woolhandling, showing the skills that won her the New Zealand Merino Shears title at home the previous week. Amy-Lee Ferguson, of Invercargill, was second and Alexandra's Foonie Waihape third.
Waihape made history by winning Waimate's first women's shearing competition. She was also runner-up to Timaru shearer Jack Gordon in the junior shearing final.
Brandon Maguire-Ratima, from Winton, won the senior shearing and Mitchell Menzies, from Ranfurly, took the intermediate title.
The senior woolhandling went to Ohai's Sunni Te Whare and the junior to Balclutha's Heaven Little.
