King repeats Mangawhai Speedshear win

November 4, 2019

Hawke’s Bay shearer Dion King cemented a place as the fastest gun in the north when he won the second Mangawha Tavern Speedshear on Saturday.

Coming fresh from a speedshear and show double in Hawke’s Bay eight days earlier, the 44-year-old King successfully defended the title he won at the inaugural event last year, claiming the $5000 biggest speedshear prize in New Zealand, with a fastest final time of 20.54sec.

In his 17th consecutive Open-class season in New Zealand he was heading-up what was a triumph for the veterans of the field, with Digger Balme, of Otorohanga, the runner-up, and third-placed Neville Osborne, of Tangowahine, each with more than 25 seasons.

Prolific speedshear winner and Te Kuiti shearer Jack Fagan, finishing 4th after being expected to be the leading challenger to King following two recent wins in Australia, is in his 6th season in the Open class.

Cayzer Wedd, from Napier, made it a double success for Hawke’s Bay winning the Senior speedshear.
The next speedshear affiliated to Shearing Sports New Zealand is the November 29 first round of the five-match James Ritchie Memorial King Country speedshear circuit, while the first event on the Northland A and P show circuit is at Kaikohe on January 18

RESULTS of the Mangawhai Tavern Speedshear on Saturday, November 2, 2019:

Open: Dion King (Flaxmere) 20.54sec, 1; Digger Balme (Otorohanga) 21.6sec, 2; Neville Osborne (Tangowahine) 23.06sec, 3; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 23.86sec, 4; Kaleb Foote (Piopio) 38.06sec, 5; Whetu Henderson (Kaiwaka) 6.

Senior: Cayzer Wedd (Napier) 26.3sec, 1; Tama Meihana (Kaiwaka) 26.6pts, 2; Jayden Mainland (Wellsford) 29.46sec, 3; Richard Paulsen (Glen Murray) 31.72pts, 4; Josef Winders (Waikato) 5; Trent Hewes (Glen Murray) 6.

Open local: Phil Wedd (Silverdale) 27.48sec, 1; Tua Henderson (Kaiwaka) 29.48sec, 2; Michael White (30.96sec, 3.

Senior local: Alan Boler (Wellsford) 40.26sec, 1; Dan Berger (Ahuroa) 41.12sec, 2; Steve Coop (Wellsford) 41.98sec, 3.

ENDS

© Scoop Media