Brother v Brother At Shearing Content

Click to enlarge
The Goodyer brothers press and stomp their way to victory in the final of the Woolpressing Pairs at Masterton’s 49th Golden Shears today. To the left is Vinnie while Jeremy loads the press.

[Friday Morning wrap]

Friday March 6 2009

BROTHER VERSUS BROTHER AT WORLD’S PREMIER SHEARING CONTEST

THE old hand carried the day when brother battled brother for the Men’s Woolpressing Championship at the 49th annual Golden Shears in Masterton today.

Masterton brothers Jeremy and Vinnie Goodyer fought it out in a close final that had the crowd on the edge of their seats at the Genesis Recreation Centre.

Four-time consecutive champ Jeremy looked calm as he secured his bale for loading while younger brother Vinnie showed he wasn’t going to give an inch as he packed armloads of wool into the press.

Vinnie slowly gained a lead but Jeremy seemed to determine to remain unhurried, concentrating on quality.

The brothers leapt into their presses to pack their first load with legs pounding while the commentators cautioned Jeremy.

“The problem with little bros is that they always grow up…and then they take over from you!”

The prophecy looked to be coming true in the time stakes as Vinnie began to pull away from Jeremy and was first to swing the top box around, then first on the crank.

Not to be outdone, Jeremy put on a turn of speed and showed why he was reigning champ as he gathered the press pins and pulled them out in a fan-shaped handful, tapping the press gate open in one fluid movement.

Vinnie whipped round his work area for a clean up and finished first in just 10 minutes and 26 seconds.

Jeremy came in straight behind with a time of 10 minutes and 47 seconds.

While the younger had the pace, the older had the quality; after a bale weigh in and judging Jeremy finished first on total points.

Jeremy’s bale weighed in at an impressive 175 kgs against Vinnie’s 163 kgs.

“Bloody Vinnie made me work a sweat! I felt a bit of pressure from my younger brother. Nice try Vinnie, maybe next year,” Jeremy said when presented with his champion’s sash.

The Goodyers were followed by Masterton’s Jareth Fox in third and Karl Forward of Napier in fourth place.

The Goodyer brother’s teamed up earlier in the day to take out the Men’s Woolpressing Pairs final against uncle and nephew pair Paul and Rob Lewis. Tipene Geye and Gary Mita were in third.

It is the fourth time a pair of Goodyer brothers have won the event, Jeremy and his other brother Warwick having claimed the three previous titles.

Warwick was seriously injured in a car accident last year and Jeremy dedicated the Goodyer’s winning pairs performance to their brother who turned out to watch the pressing.

The Warwick Goodyer Trust was established to assist with the rehabilitation of the gun presser and the Women’s Woolpressing Pairs winners Fiona Christensen and Cushla Gordon of Masterton gifted their winnings to the trust.

Christensen and Gordon took out the Womens final to beat Palmerston North’s Kiri Gerretzen and Daisy Taua.

Christensen then went on to beat Gerretzen in the Womens Woolpressing Singles final with a time of 14 minutes and 15 seconds and a bale weight of 149 kg.

Gerretzen came in at 16 minutes and 55 seconds with 129.5 kg bale weight. Gordon was in third.

In the Young Farmers Club Blue Ribbon Shearing final local man David Buick of Pongaroa got a few points up on Waikaretu’s Sam Welch to place first.

Angus Moore of Blenheim followed in third and Peter Jackson, of Weber, was fourth.

Te Kuiti’s Mark Grainger placed fifth and David Buick’s younger brother Mark Buick of Masterton was in sixth.

In the Young Farmers Club Shearing and Woolhandling Teams Event, Waikato took top honours followed by Northland in second and East Coast in third place.

The action continues this afternoon at the world’s greatest shearing contest as shearing guns from around the globe compete in the Open Shearing Heats.

For further information visit www.goldenshears.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media