Henderson Bounces Back For Kumeu Shears Win

Northland shearer Toa Henderson was quickly back on the horse as he successfully defended the Kumeu Shears Open title on Saturday, a week after an early end to the dream of winning the Golden Shears Open in Masterton.
He was right back to his domineering best, with best points all-round on time and quality to beat runner-up Mark Grainger, of Te Kuiti, by almost four points, with close to half-a-point then to Jack Fagan, also of Te Kuiti, in third place.

Henderson, claiming his 11th Open title of the season, and his ninth in seven weeks, as the focus starts to zero-in on the April 4-6 New Zealand Shears in Te Kuiti, shore the 20-sheep final in 16m 22.23s – 24 seconds clear of next-man-off, eventual fourth-placegetter and record-breaking Manawatu shearer Simon Goss.

Surviving from a field of 15 in the heats, Welsh team member Gethin Lewis was fifth and James Ruki, also of Te Kuiti, backed-up from a surprise place in the Golden Shears final with another good performance for sixth.

There were just 18 entries cross the other three grades, with the Senior final being won Tommy Stevenson, of Ruawai, by almost a point from English shearer Callum Bosley, Nuhaka shearer Cheyden Winiana winning the Intermediate final, and Thomas Marchant, of Maramarua, winning the Junior final, after being fourth at the Golden Shears.

There were 10 entries in the veterans event, almost worthy of Northland Veterans champion-of-champions acclaim, with a final won by 1979 Golden Shears Senior champion Alan Bramley.

In the South Island, two competitions each had over 30 shearers.

Marlborough shearer and three-times national shearing circuit champion Angus Moore won the Open final at the Cheviot A and P Show in North Canterbury, with Rangiora shearer Hugh De Lacy in second place. In Mid-Canterbury, Southland shearer Brett Roberts won the Open final at the Mayfield A and P Show, with Ant Frew, of Pleasant Point the runner-up, Paul Hodges, from Geraldine, third and Lionel Taumata, of Gore, fourth.

Results of the Kumeu Shears on Saturday, March 9, 2024:

Open final (20 sheep): Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka)16m 22.63s, 53.732pts, 1; Mark Grainger (Te Kuiti) 17m 26.97s, 57.549pts, 2; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 17m 9.08s, 58.104pts, Simon Goss (Whanganui) 16m 46.75s, 61.738pts, 4; Gethin Lewis (Wales) 18m 15.15s, 62.108pts, 5; James Ruki (Te Kuiti) 19m 40.17s, 63.659pts, 6.

Senior final (8 sheep): Tommy Stevenson (Ruawai) 10m 19.91s, 35.746pts, 1; Callum Bosley (Cornwall, England) 10m 38.72s, 38.686pts, 1; Gabriel Winders (Invercargill) 10m 29.94s, 39.122pts, 3; Michael Boyd (Dargaville) 11m 27.88s, 39.519pts, 4; Allan Oldfield (Geraldine/Hutt Valley) 11m 5.11s, 40.811pts, 5; Alan Boler (Wellsford) 12m 8.09s, 42.53pts, 6.

Intermediate final (5 sheep): Cheyden Winiana (Nuhaka) 7m 52.85s, 31.043pts, 1; Matthew Smith (Otorohanga) 8m 45.52s, 31.676pts, 2; Ethan Fladgate (Te Awamutu) 8m 29.03s, 32.652pts, 3; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora/Te Kuiti) 9m 48.44s, 33.822pts, 4; Hazel Wood (Ruawai) 8m 36.02s, 34.201pts, 5; Rex Finlayson (Kai Iwi Lakes) 9m 27.1s, 38.755pts, 6.

Junior final (3 sheep): Thomas Marchant (Maramarua) 5m 49.69s, 26.818pts, 1; Paul Finlayson (Kai Iwi Lakes) 5m 36.36s, 28.151pts, 2; Arana Marshall (Huntly) 6m 8.98s, 28.449pts, 3; Tessa Berger (Ahuroa) 7m 7.06s, 32.686pts, 4; Sam Story (Coatesville) 8m 35.22s, 39.095pts, 5.

Veterans final (3 sheep): Alan Bramley (Hikurangi) 5m 0.13s, 20.674pts, 1; Ralph Smith (Dargaville) 5m 49.75s, 22.155pts, 2; Mike Henderson (Kaiwaka) 4m 26.88s, 22.678pts, 3; Barry Jones (Pukekohe) 4m 37.77s, 22.889pts, 4; Lee Cheyne (Ohinewai) 6m 3.78s, 23.856pts, 5; Rex Finlayson (Kai Iwi Lakes) 6m 26.69s, 30.335pts, 6.

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