Comeback Kin David Buick Wins Major Shearing Title In Scotland

Wairarapa shearer David Buick has produced another stunning result in his miracle recovery from crippling injuries in an accident on his Pongaroa farm by winning the Lochearnhead Shears Open final in Scotland.

Buick, who suffered major injuries when he was buried neck-deep in the accident in October 2021, and was considered unlikely to shear again and possibly not even walk, mastered both the horned Scottish blackface sheep and the best Scotland could offer of the two-legged kind of opposition in Hamish Mitchell, with New Zealand teammate Jack Fagan third, and Mitchell’s Scotland teammate, Calum Shaw..

But it was a reverse when the same quartet shore in the first test of the 2024 Wools of New Zealand Shearing Sports New Zealand shearing team’s UK Tour, won by Scotland, on Saturday (Sunday morning New Zealand time)

It left New Zealand still without a win in the annual Lochearnhead Shears’ Joe Te Kapa Memorial Trophy match since 2016.

Buick, who first represented in New Zealand in Australia in 2014, stunned the shearing world in April when he claimed a place on the tour by winning the New Zealand Shears Open final in Te Kuiti, his first win since accident.

The Te Kuiti win completed a unique sequence of wins in New Zealand Shears Junior, Intermediate, Senior and Open finals since 1997.

Last year Buick was acclaimed a Master Shearer, and has now had 34 Open final wins and represented New Zealand in 16 test matches, still with the goal of a place in the New Zealand team for the 2026 World Championships in Masterton.

The itinerary for remaining tests on the UK tour is: July 10, v England, at Great Yorkshire Show; July 12, v France, at Martel; July 20, v Wales, at Cothi Shears; July 24, v Wales, at Royal Welsh Show; July 27, v Wales, at Corwen Shears

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