Golden Shears and World Shearing Championship in Masterton

Golden Shears and World Shearing Championship in Masterton

February 28 2012

There is a buzz in the air as the final touches are put on the biggest ever Golden Shears and World Shearing championship contests ever seen in Masterton.

Such is the draw of the world’s greatest shearing and woolhandling contests, Prime Minister John Key and Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae will be waving the flag for the kiwis at the shear’s penultimate event – the Saturday night grand final showdowns.

Mr Key’s involvement will be the first time in 10 years that a New Zealand Prime Minister has been to Golden Shears after Helen Clark was a guest in 2002.

“We are thrilled that they are going to honour Golden Shears and our national athletes and it gives us the opportunity to really impress upon them the professionalism of shearing as a career and a sport and showing off the fact that as a community we have been able to present a world class event,” said Golden Shears President Mavis Mullins.

Hundreds of competitors have already converged on the town for the start of frenetic competition which gets under way at Masterton’s War Memorial stadium tomorrow morning (February 29)and ends on March 3 with the climatic showdown of the world’s best shearers and woolhandlers vying for the ultimate 52nd Golden Shears and 15th World Championship crowns.

With more than 600 competitors expected, representing 25 countries, the competition would be red hot.

The last time Masterton hosted the World Shearing Championships in 1996, just 13 countries were entered, making this the biggest world championships New Zealand had ever experienced.

Ms Mullins said while the crowns were anyone’s for the taking – the greatest hands in the New Zealand shearing sheds were certainly on fire and kiwi shearing legend , 16-time Golden Shears open shearing champion and five time world champion David Fagan , 50, could not be overlooked.

“It is electric out there. We’ve got the NZ hand shearing team made up of Cam Ferguson and John Kirkpatrick and they are a fabulous team but what that has done is leave in the wings David Fagan and Dion King who have had magnificent seasons. You can kind of feel them sharpening the knives for the Golden Shears open. There is that sort of tension in the air at the moment so that is making it exciting.”

Preparations have included a games village, and a massive 40 by 60 metre marquee to cater for the expected population explosion. The tent site, dubbed party central, will be surrounded by activity and the live screening of events from the main stadium.

The last world champs held in Wales in 2010 saw the New Zealand flag flying high after the Kiwis won three of the six events.

Waipawa shearer Cam Ferguson won the crown in a frenzied showdown that saw David Fagan finish in second place.

The kiwi team chosen to wear the black singlet’s after their performances throughout the seasons of national competitions are:

Hand shearers Cam Ferguson and Napier’s John Kirkpatrick and woolhandlers, Joanne Kumeroa, of Whanganui, and Gisborne’s Joel Henare.

Tickets for all events are available online at www.goldenshears.co.nz, at the Wool Shed (formerly Shear Discovery NZ) next the War Memorial Stadium, and at the ticket caravan outside the stadium during competition.

Those who can’t make it to Masterton will be able to watch the action via the Golden Shears website at www.goldenshears.co.nz

ENDS

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