Northland Shearers Battle The Odds

Shearers in the north have a big chance to get onto the buzz for the big shows with three successive weekends – weather willing.

The North Kaipara A and P Show is this Saturday at Paparoa, Northern Wairoa is at Arapahoe, Dargaville, on February 11, and North Hokianga is at Broadwood on February 18.

The Counties Shears is at Pukekohe on February 19, and Kumeu is on March 11, but there will be no Easter Show in Auckland, and consequently no shearing in the big smoke.

The first of the shows in the north were at Whangarei on December 3 and at Kaikohe on January 21, where the Open finals were both won by Kaiwaka shearer Toa Henderson, who this week tackles the big guns in the Central North Island, where the Dannevirke A and P Show is on Friday, the Rangitikei Shearing Sports in Marton on Saturday and the Aria Waitangi Day Shearing Sports are on Monday.

Former Hawke’s Bay shearer Phil Wedd, a former Golden Shears lower grades finalist who has been in Northland about eight years, and who was runner-up to Henderson at Kaikohe and third at the Whangarei show last month, says the appeal of the small shows is that the base is, just like the woolen end-product, “close-knit.”

“In the past there were a lot of younger guys and girls cutting their teeth up here,” said Wedd, who is also now judging.

But the last two years of cancellations and now the weather have compounded with the issues of declining sheep numbers to impact again on competitor numbers.

The rain has plagued the mainshear, and now threatens this week’s Paparoa show, one of the oldest in New Zealand and its 146th year.

Wedd will be there if it’s on, and will be at Broadwood two weeks later, but will miss Arapohue – to play in the national Seniors golf tournament in Christchurch.

Results from the Kaikohe A.P. and H. Show on Saturday, January 21, 2022:

Open final (16 lambs): Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 12min 43sec, 50.54pts, 1; Phil Wedd (Silverdale) 14min 3sec, 61.28pts, 2; Neville Osborne (Dargaville) 14min 53secs, 68.4pts, 3; Gary Rix (Dargaville) 17min 22sec, 74.17pts, 4.

Senior final (6 lambs): Alan Boler (Wellsford) 10min 10sec, 44.33pts, 1; Steve Coop Wellsford) 10min 21sec, 50.38pts, 2; Roger Clark (Kaikohe) 8min 35sec, 55.91pts, 3; Grant Cook (Kaikohe) 8min 57sec, 64.17pts, 4.

Intermediate final (5 sheep): Hautapu Mikaere (-) 8min 12sec, 43.4pts, 1; Rex Finlayson (Kai Iwi Lakes) 8min 56sec, 51.4pts, 2; Danielle Boyd (Kaikohe) 8min 49sec, 48.65pts, 3.

Junior final (3 sheep): Paul Finlayson (Kai Iwi Lakes) 6min 52sec, 60.93pts, 1.

Novice (2 sheep): Julia Quinn (-) 6min 13sec, 37.15pts, 1.

Veterans (2 sheep): Alan Bramley (Kaeo) 2min 34sec, 21.2pts, 1; Steve Coop (Wellsford) 3min 30sec, 27.5pts, 2; Ratu Peri (-) 4min 17sec, 35.85pts, 3; Gary Rix (Dargaville) 2min 57sec, 35.85pts, 4.

© Scoop Media