Finally Got One - Ngaio Hanson's First Open Woolhandling Win

Eketahuna woolhandler Ngaio Hanson has had a stellar two years in representing New Zealand at the 2023 World Championships in Scotland and in this season’s transtasman test matches.

But it reached another level on Friday when she the Danevirke A and P Show’s Open final, her first Open final win after years of trying, including nine second-placings in the last three seasons.

Those placings had rich rewards, a second placing in a World championships selection final at the Golden Shears in 2023 got her to Scotland later in the year, and her transtasman series position came after she was second in the North Island Woolhandling Circuit Open final in March.

Preparing for a new World Championships selection series, starting in Gore at the end of next week, there was a clear indication something big was about to happen last week when Hanson was runner-up at Taihape to another first-time Open woolhandling final winner in Vinniye Phillips, of Taumarunui.

“Yup finally got it,” she said on Saturday as she was preparing for competition again, at the Rangitikei Shearing Sports in Marton, where ultimately she missed-out on a place in the six for the final, in which Phillips was again the winner.

Hanson’s win came at the show where sister Emaraina Braddick scored her first Open woolhandling win in 2016, while another sister, Ana Braddick, joined the list of winners in the family when she claimed the Taihape A and P Show title last year.

Brother Hemi Braddick won his first Open shearing title in 2022, after eight years of trying, while yet another sister, Marika, was third in both finals at the weekend.

It came during a big weekend in the lower North Island, in which 175 shearers and woolhandlers competed at Dannevirke, most then heading to Marton where the entries totalled 228, including 166 shearers.

The numbers now pose questions for organisers wondering how to handle even greater numbers next year with hundreds of up competitors from overseas gathering to either compete in or support the 2022 World championships in Masterton.

Other leading New Zealand hopes for the New Zealand selection series’, to decide two machine shearers, two bladed shearers and two woolhandlers, were in winning form at both Dannevirke and Marton.

Invercargill shearer and 2017 World teams title winner Nathan Stratford won a four-man final at Dannevirke, by three points from Reuben Alabaster of Taihape.

Stratford’trademark quality more than compensated for finishing more than two minutes after first-man-off Clay Harris, of Piopio, who sheared his 20 sheep in 14min 45sec.

On Saturday Pongaroa farmer David Buick who had three wins in three days in mid-January, won the Rangitikei title for a first time, by 0.393pts from defending champion and Northland shearer Toa Henderson, who had won their race for time honours by just over seven seconds in shearing the 20 in 15m 12.81s.

Hawke’s Bay shearer and 2014 World champion Rowland Smith, who resumed his career with two wins in late January after almost 11 months away from competitions after missing a defence of the Golden Shears open title last March because of injury, was second to top qualifier from the heats to the semi-final at Dannevirke, but missed a place in the final as he did also on Saturday at Marton.

There was yet another big effort from Central Hawke’s Bay shearer Axle Reid, originally from Taihape, in being comfortably the top qualifier for the Marton final, although he had to settle for sixth place at the end.

While shearers from overseas were kept away from the other winning red ribbons after a succession of wins and other top placings in the last fortnight, there was more success for the southern hopes with Dre Roberts, of Mataura, winning the Senior shearing final at Marton, after failing to make the semi-finals in the Senior event at Dannevirke 24 hours earlier, won by Daniel Seed, of Pahiatua.

The Senior woolhandling finals were also shared, with Tatijana Keefe, of Raupunga, winning at Dannevirke, and Amy Bell, of Weber winning at Marton.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Dane Phillips won the North Kaipara A and P Show Open final at Paparoa for a second time in three years, while in the South Island, Paul Hodges, travelled back from working in the North Island to dominate the lambs at the Inangahua A and P Show’s Reefton Shears to win its Open final for a second time, having won the event in 2018, when he was in his second season in the Open class.

Also at Reefton 2019 World blades teams champions Tony Dobbs, of Fairlie, and Hutt Valley-based Allan Oldfield, from Geraldine, got their bids for places at the World championships by finishing first and second respectively in the first round of a selection series which ends in Christchurch in November.

The shearing sports season continues with the Aria Waitangi Day Sports on Saturday, with three competitions on Saturday, including long-established A-grade show the Otago Shears shearing and woolhandling championships at Carterhope Estate, Te Houka, south of Balclutha.

The other two competitions on Saturday are shearing-only events at the Northern Wairoa Arapohue and Te Puke A and P shows.

The New Zealand team machine shearing and woolhandling selection series’ start at the Southern Shears in Gore on February 14-15.

RESULTS from the Dannevirke A and P Show shearing and woolhandling championships on Friday, January 31, 2025:

Shearing:

Open final(20 sheep): Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 17m 7s, 61.95pts, 1; Reuben Alabaster (Taihape) 17m 9s, 64.95pts, 2; Gavin Mutch (Scotland/Dannevirke) 15m 18s, 69.6pts, 3; Clay Harris (Piopio) 14m 45s, 70.55pts, 4. Also: Aaron Haynes (Feilding) 5; Chris Dickson (Masterton) 6.

Senior final (20 sheep): Daniel Seed (Pahiatua) 11m 41s, 43.25pts, 1; Bruce Grace (Wairoa/Napier) 11m 17s, 43.35pts, 2; Callum Bosley (England) 11m 14s, 45.9pts, Pat Corrigan (Ireland) 11m 16s, 48.8pts, 4. Also: Mark Ferguson (Kahuranaki) 5; Jack Hutchinson (England) 6.

Intermediate final (5 sheep): Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 6m 34s, 28.9pts, 1; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora/Hastings) 7m 19s, 29.75pts, 2; Michael Buick (Pongaroa) 7m 32s, 31pts, 3; Ryka Swann (Wairoa) 6m 25s, 34.45pts, 4. Also: Lachie Cameron (Hunterville) 5; Paddy Dunne (Wicklow, Ireland) 6.

Junior final (3 sheep): Waiari Puna (Napier) 5m 7s, 21.35pts, 1; Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 5m 57s, 22.18pts, 2; Tom Clarkson (Martinborough) 4m 51s, 23.22pts, 3; Ashlin Swann (Wairoa) 6m 43s, 28.82pts, 4. Also: Sean Dunne (Ireland) 5; William Clarkson (-) 6.

Novice final (1 sheep): Alex Wrenn (Dannevirke) 2m 44s, 21.2pts, 1; Ben Solomann (-) 3m 51s, 21.55pts, 2; Mary Lucas Ridge (Chilmleigh, England) 3m 10s, 23.5pts, 3; Cam Henson (Woodville) 2m 47s, 28.35pts, 4.

Woolhandling:

Open final: Ngaio Hanson (Eketahuna) 56.34pts, 1; Chelsea Collier (Hamilton) 57.4pts, 2; Marika Braddick (Eketahuna) 61.28pts, 3. Also: Ana Braddick (Eketahuna) 4; Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti) 5; Vinniye Philips (Taumarunui) 6.

Senior final): Tatijana Keefe (Raupunga) 61.66pts, 1; Te Whetu Brown (Wairoa) 72.34pts, 2; Ashleigh Ostler (Kimbolton) 80.69pts, 3. Also: Conan Harmon (Masterton) 4; Amy Bell (Weber) 5; Sonya Fagan (Otorohanga) 6.

Junior (final): Laura Bradley (Papatawa) 49.16pts, 1; Mere Maraki (Flaxmere) 50.13pts, 2; Gemma Buick (Pongaroa) 53.31pts, 3. Also: Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 4; Paige Marshall (Taumarunui) 5, Natalia Renata (Waipukurau) 6.

Novice: Jessica Will 67.88pts, 1; Piata Eruera (Eketahuna) 74.16pts, 2; Amber Marshall 74.41pts, 3; Jack Hutchinson (England) 82.66pts, 4; Opal Ramsay (-) 85.6pts, 5.

RESULTS from the North Kaipara A and P Show shearing championships at Paparoa on Saturday, February 1, 2025:

Open final (18 sheep): Dane Phillips (Kaiwaka) 16m 1s, 58.17pts, 1; Neville Osborne (Dargaville) 15m 35s, 55.86pts, 2; Phil Wedd (Silverdale) 58.17pts, 3. Also: Barry Jones (Pukekohe) 4.

Senor final (10 sheep): Kieran Gillespie (Mangawhai) 12m 54s, 45.8pts, 1; Graeme McDonnell (Warkworth) 14m 4s, 52.6pts, 2; Steve Coop (Wellsford) 14m 40s, 55pts, 3.

Combined final: Tess Berger (Ahuroa, Junior, 2 sheep) 4m 22s, 19.6pts, 1; Gus Berger (Ahuroa, Intermediate, 3 sheep) 4m 37s, 25.19pts, 2; Liam Smedley (Whangaroa, Intermediate, 3 sheep0 4m 26s, 27.3pts, 3.

Veterans (2 sheep): Jeff Wood (Ruawai) 2m 35s, 22.75pts, 1; Barry Jones (Pukekohe) 3m 26s, 23.3pts, 2; Steve Coop (Wellsford) 4m 21s, 24.09pts, 3.

RESULTS from the Rangitikei Shearing Sports in the Memorial Hall, Marton, on Saturday, February 1, 2025:

Shearing:

Open final (20 sheep): David Buick (Pongaroa) 15m 19.95s, 52.648pts, 1; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 15m 12.81s, 53.041pts, 2; David Gordon (Masterton) 16m 42.39s, 56.57pts, 3; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 17m 7.23s, 58.162pts, 4; Digger Balme (Otorohanga) 17m 6.2s, 59.651pts, 5; Axle Reid (Waipawa) 18m 18.91s, 62.196pts, 6.

Senior final (10 sheep): Dre Roberts (Mataura) 10m 34.03s, 39.002pts, 1; Tommy Stevenson (Ruawai) 11m 6.27s, 40.314pts, 2; Bruce Grace (Wairoa/Napier) 11m 16.16s, 42.608pts, 3; Daniel Seed (Pahiatua) 11m 35.23pts, 43.462pts, 5; Aiden Tarrant (Mapiu) 11m 32.48s, 44.724pts, 5; Cody Waihape (Gore) 11m 44s, 45.6pts, 6.

Intermediate final (5 sheep): Orlando Ratima (Hunterville) 6m 40.45s, 27.423pts, 1; Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 6m 48.2s, 27.801pts, 2; Heath Barnsdall (Aria) 7m 10.39s, 30.52pts, 3; Lachie Cameron (Pohangina) 7m 56.83s, 31.642pts, 4; Ryka Swann (Wairoa) 7m 8.52s, 32.826pts, 5; Luke Price (Wales) 7m 34.66s, 38.133pts, 6.

Junior final (5 sheep): Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 8m 34.86s, 32.143pts, 1; Sean Dunne (Wicklow, Ireland) 7m 49.03s, 34.052pts, 2; Riley Norman (Eketahuna) 8m 26.23s, 35.72pts, 3; Tom Clarkson (Martinborough) 7m 9.33s, 37.467pts, 4; Morgan Jones (Wales) 7m 58.5s, 37.935pts, 5; Joseph Scahill (Ireland) 7m 27.38s, 38.969pts, 6.

Novice (1 sheep): Chase Buckman (Bulls) 4m 2.89s, 19.145pts, 1; Amy McNeil (Scotland) 3m 13s, 19.65pts, 2; Hunter Wigglesworth (Marton) 23.791pts, 3; Jess Gooding (Featherston) 3m 40.2s, 24.01pts, 4; Cam Henson (Woodville) 2m 58.2s, 24.91pts, 5; Matthew Cuttance (Feilding) 2m 20.73s, 25.037pts, 6.

Woolhandling:

Open final: Vinniye Phillips (Taumarunui) 37.25pts, 1; Angela Stevens (Napier) 42.544pts, 2; Marika Braddick (Eketahuna) 43.28pts, 3; Chelsea Collier (Hamilton) 53.09pts, 4; Ricci Stevens (Napier) 66.54pts, 5; Jasmin Tipoki (Napier) 70.84pts, 6.

Senior final: Amy Bell (Weber) 52.77pts, 1; Chloe Henderson (Hunterville) 53.37pts, 2; Kelly Barrett (Kawhia) 54.47pts, 3; Cortez Ostler (Marton) 57.63pts, 4; Conan Harmon (Masterton) 57.982pts, 5; Tatijana Keefe (Raupunga) 67.06pts, 6.

Junior final: Mere Maraki (Flaxmere) 51.72pts, 1; Capree Wallace (Taihape) 52.56pts, 2; Jayda Mallanta (Te Kaha) 63.144pts, 3; Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 63.87pts, 4; Laura Bradley (Papatawa) 68.16pts, 5; Waiari Puna (Napier) 70.35pts, 6.

Novice: Ella Crofskey (Feilding) 47.326pts, 1; Piata Eruera (Eketahuna) 56.318pts, 2; Jessica Kendrick (Feilding) 61.02pts, 3; Jess Will (Waituna West) 65.338pts, 4; Opal Ramsay (Pongaroa) 74.12pts, 5; Jennifer Murphy (Pongaroa) 83.43pts, 6.

RESULTS from the Reefton Shears at the Inangahua A and P Show on Saturday, February 1, 2025:

Open final (20 lambs): Paul Hodges (Geraldine) 16m 22.66s, 59.33pts, 1; Justine Meikle (Oamaru) 16m 23.03s, 60.2pts, 2; Floyd Haare (Ohai) 16m 8.81s, 62.84pts, 3; Duncan Higgins (Blenheim) 19m 56.81s, 71.59pts. Also: Dave Brooker (Cust) 5; Nick Nalder (Takaka) 6.

Plate final (10 lambs): Dave Brooker (Cust) 10m 50.22s, 41.31pts, 1; Alex Clapham (England) 10m 23.28s, 41.86pts, 2; Nick Nalder (Takaka) 9m 46.5s, 43.33pts, 3; Richard Sampey (Blenheim) 12m 11.87s, 47.79pts, 4.

Senior final (8 lambs): John Cherrington (Oamaru) 9. 50.35s, 36.64pts, 1; Reuben King (Kaiapoi) 9m 21.15s, 40.06pts, 2; Mark Rogers (Brightwater) 12m 30.12s, 47.26pts, 3; Scott McKay (Clarence) 11m 36s, 47.93s, 4. Also: Brandon Hanson (Ohai) 5; Sam Hidgkinson (Tapawera) 6.

Intermediate final (6 sheep): Kimberley Whalon (Nelson) 10m 35.12s, 38.92pts, 1; Aaron Win (Reefton) 10m 25.68s, 43.62pts, 2.

Junior final (3 lambs): Tye Meikle (Oamaru) 5m 12.84s, 20.98pts, 1; John Crichton (England) 8m 12.5s, 40.96pts, 2; Georgie Dickson (Hawea) 9m 31.71s, 50.92pts, 3; Katie Hicks (Tapawera) 10m 5s, 54.92pts, 4. Also: Ashlee Blanchett (Foxhill) 5.

Classic (6 lambs): Chris Jones (Blenheim) 7m 20.16s, 32.84pts, 1; Sam Win (Reefton) 7m 29.44s, 40.97pts, 2; Frank Bint (Tapawera) 8m 15.2s, 41.76pts, 3; Jock Fitzpatrick (Seddon) 8m 26.22s, 41.14pts, 4.

Blades (5 lambs): Tony Dobbs (Fairlie) 14m 41.12s, 49.85pts, 1; Alan Oldfield (Geraldine/Hutt Valley) 14m 42.31s, 52.31pts, 2; Scott McKay (Clarence) 14m 49.93s, 57.09pts, 3; Phil Oldfield (Geraldine) 15m 31.54s, 62.57pts, 4. Also: Mike McConnell (Christchurch) 5; Tim Hogg (Timaru) 6.

Clean shear (2 lambs): Floyd Haare (Ohai, Open) 5pts, 1; Alex Clapham (England, Openn) 6.5pts, 2; Justin Meikle (Oamaru, Open) 7pts, 3; Tye Meikle (Oamaru, Junior) 7pts, 4.

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