Waimate Spring Shears: Woolhandling double for Joel Henare

Joel Henare seen here on his way to winning the World Woolhandling Championship final in Invercargill on February 11, 2017. Photo / Doug Laing

Master woolhandler Joel Henare may have decided against chasing a place in another World Championships this season, but that doesn't mean he's not in winning form.

Henare scored victories in both finals at the Waimate Spring Shears, winning the open final merino fleeces on Friday and the crossbred event on Saturday.

Although the crossbred final is run primarily as the first leg of the Wools of New Zealand World Championships woolhandling New Zealand team selection series, Henare won't be contesting any further.

He reckoned he was "out of practice", saying it required an extra effort to make sure he was on point, after coming fourth in defending the New Zealand Merino Shears title in Alexandra a week earlier.

While success at the Spring Shears had bolstered Henare's confidence, he was still uncertain about future competitions.

"It feels great to be back on top," he said.

"But whether I do any more comps this year? Maybe. You never know when I'll turn up."

This year he won't try to add to his World Championships individual and pairs double triumphs, which he scored at Masterton in 2012 and Invercargill in 2017.

It all came down to family priorities for Henare, who is from Gisborne, but currently in Motueka, being a solo dad to three sons aged 7, 8, and 9.

Henare won the Waimate open final for the sixth time and now has 125 finals victories in his open-class woolhandling career - now in its 17th season after starting at the age of 14.

Monica Potae, of Kennedy Bay was runner-up, Cushla Abraham, of Masterton, came third (after winning the opening competition of the season at the Merino Shears in Alexandra the previous weekend) and Elite Wool Industry Training office manager Kelly Macdonald finished fourth.

Henare headed the 22 in the heats and tailed Potae in the semi-finals but excelled with his board job in the final, with a 33pts buffer which overshadowed Potae's superior time, oddment and fleece points.

Mataura woolhandler Krome Elers, won the senior final - his second win in the grade since graduating after three wins as a junior in early 2019.

Just seventh of eight qualifiers from the 12-strong heats, Elers topped the semi-finals and produced the best fleece quality points to claim the win.

First-year senior Jess Toa, of Ashburton, came in second and third place went to Alexandra winner Tamara Marshall, of Port Waikato locality Waikaretu.

The junior final was won by Tia Manson, daughter of Monica Potae.

Meanwhile, it was a big weekend for the shearers, with two open titles shared.

Scots international and Southern Hawke's Bay farmer Gavin Mutch won the final of the Waimate Spring Shears open - the heats of which formed the second round of the PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit.

Invercargill gun Nathan Stratford won the New Zealand Winter comb championship.

The senior shears title went to Ranfurly shearer Mitchell Menzies, who was runner-up to Scott Cameron, of Alexandra, in the senior Winter Comb final.

Results of the Waimate Spring Shears, October 7-8

Shearing:

Open final (16 sheep): Gavin Mutch (Scotland/Dannevirke) 15min 59.03sec, 55.889pts, 1; Angus Moore (Seddon) 16min 19.19sec, 55.9595pts, 2; Leon Samuels (Invercargill) 15min 51.96sec, 56.2855pts, 3; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 17min 37.53sec, 59.939pts, 4; Ant Frew (Pleasant Point) 18min 7.13sec, 60.9815pts, 5; Troy Pyper (Cheviot) 16min 35.47sec, 63.336pts, 6.

Open Novice (10 sheep): Duncan Leslie (Alexandra) 11min 23.08sec, 44.054pts, 1; Jordan Boyes (Owaka) 11min 56.53sec, 46.7265pts, 2; Lionel Taumata (Gore) 11min 51.18sec, 46.759pts, 3; Willy McSkimming (Oamaru) 11min 45.78sec, 47.089pts, 4; Toko Hapuka (Methven) 11min 23.15sec, 48.5575pts, 5; Corey Smith (Waimate) 12min 11.39sec, 64.6695pts, 6.

Senior final (8 sheep): Mitchell Menzies (Ranfurly) 10min 35.92sec, 42.921pts, 1' Adam Gordon (Masterton) 10min 50.93sec, 43.2965pts, 2; Blake Crooks (Rangiora) 12min 14.69sec, 44.7345pts, 3; Joseph Gordon (Masterton) 10min 0.53sec, 46.9015pts, 4; Reuben King (Kaiapoi) 12min 0.87sec, 47.4185pts, 5; Scott Cameron (Alexandra) 12min 45.79sec, 47.5395pts, 6.

Intermediate final (5 sheep): Josh Devane (Taihape) 8min 17.44sec, 31.672pts, 1; Will Sinclair (Balclutha) 8min 48.35sec, 34.4175pts, 2; Jordan White (Balclutha) 9min 3.78sec, 36.189pts, 3; Aidan Tarrant (Taumarunui) 9min 59.69sec, 37.1845pts, 4; Ruby Stone (Waimate) 9min 4.77sec, 38.6385pts, 5; Jack Pringle (Balclutha) 8min 40.88sec, 41.044pts, 6.

Junior final (3 sheep): Emma Martin (Gore) 8min 25.46sec, 30.6063pts, 1; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora) 9min 39.12sec, 37.956pts, 2; Donnie Stringer (Ranfurly) 8min 35.67sec, 39.1168pts, 3; Robin Krause (Germany) 9min 43.47sec, 40.8402pts, 4; Connor Wilkinson (Wyndham) 10min 53.11sec, 41.6555pts, 5; Caleb Brooking (Mataura) 6min 50.17sec, 41.8688pts, 6.

Novice final (1 sheep): Jordan Ruki 4min 5.38sec, 17.269pts, 1; Cody Waihape (Mataura) 4min 29.6sec, 18.48pts, 2; Reuben Wilkinson 4min 3.55sec, 19.1775pts, 3; Hoari Wipeka 5min 11.09sec, 29.5545pts, 4; Holly Whakaraa 5min 33.14sec, 31.657pts, 5; Tracey Paton (Timaru) 6min 40.01sec, 39.0005pts, 6.

Blades final (5 sheep): Tony Dobbs (Fairlie) 14min 49.65sec, 53.4825pts, 1; Scott McKay (Clarence) 14min 9.42sec, 56.871pts, 2; Allan Oldfield (Geraldine) 14min 28.85sec, 58.6425pts, 3; Mike McConnell (Albury) 14min 14.4sec, 59.72pts, 4; Tim Hogg (Rolleston) 16min 8.36sec, 61.018pts, 5; Phil Oldfield (Geraldine) 17min 6.72sec, 64.536pts, 6.

Women (5 sheep): Sacha Bond (Piopio) 8min 55.63sec, 38.1815pts, 1; Emma Martin (Gore) 11min 52.61sec, 39.2305pts, 2; Savvy Taitoko (Aria) 10min 16.59sec, 42.0295pts, 3; Cushla Abraham (Masterton) 10min 44.13sec, 43.4065pts, 4; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora) 10min 52.6sec, 45.43pts, 5; Foonie Waihape (Alexandra) 10min 29.16sec, 47.258pts, 6.

Winter Comb shearing championship

Open final (7 sheep): Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 15min 7.6sec,61.5228pts, 1; Stacey Te Huia (Alexandra) 13min 25.22sec, 65.1181pts, 2; Angus Moore (Seddon) 14min 53.4sec, 65.2414pts, 3; Ringakaha Paewai (Gore) 14min 47.96sec, 65.398pts, 4; Grant Smith (Rakaia) 63.3026pts, 5; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 17min 25.23sec, 76.8329pts, 6.

Senior final (4 sheep): Scott Cameron (Alexandra) 12min 37.04sec, 63.102pts, 1; Mitchell Menzies (Ranfurly) 13min 7.3sec, 64.365pts, 2; Adam Gordon (Masterton) 12min 27.86sec, 78.393pts, 3; Josh Quinn (Seddon) 12min 6.4sec, 78.82pts, 4; Kevahan Bodan (Ranfurly) 14min 40.65sec, 81.7825pts, 5; Andrew Booth (Waimate) 14min 4.9sec, 88.2245pts, 6.

Woolhandling

Open final: Joel Henare (Motueka) 132.63pts, 1; Monica Potae (Kennedy Bay) 147pts, 2; Cushla Abraham (Masterton) 166.262pts, 3; Kelly MacDonald (Domett) 167.564pts, 4.

Senior final: Krome Elers (Mataura) 136.032pts, 1; Jess Toa (Ashburton) 159.164pts, 2; Tamara Marshall (Waikaretu) 162.53pts, 3; Sarah Davis (Rerewhakaaitu) 195.146pts, 4.

Junior final: Tia Manson (Piopio) 162.81pts, 1; Lachlan Ford (Australia) 169.016pts, 2; Tre Sciascia (Gore) 181.31pts, 3; Tracey Paton (Timaru) 216.986pts, 4.

Crossbred open final: Joel Henare (Motueka) 70.08pts, 1; Candy Hiri (Mataura) 95.632pts, 2; Amy Ferguson (Alexandra) 109.458pts, 3; Ratapu Moore (Seddon) 129.55pts, 4.