New Winner In The Wimbledon Of Shearing

The Golden Shears Open shearing championship, often described as the Wimbledon of shearing, will have a new winner tonight, following the elimination of the two most-recent winners – the TAB favourites – in the quarterfinal and semifinals in Masterton.

Southland shearer Leon Samuels, who last year became the first South Island winner since 1989, was eliminated in Friday night’s Top 30 quarterfinal Shootout, failing to make the semifinals, and Smith, winner in all eight times he’s contested the event since 2013, exited on Saturday afternoon, missing a place in the top six by just 0.211pts.

None of the qualifiers have yet won the title, including Northland shearer and top qualifier Toa Henderson, who, like last qualifier and Southland shearer Brett Roberts, will be in the final for the first time. Other qualifiers are Casey Bailey, of Riverton, Marlborough shearer Angus Moore, Wairarapa hope and reigning New Zealand Shears Te Kuiti champion David Buick, of Pongaroa, and Southland veteran Nathan Stratford, in the final for a 12th time.

The final, of 20 sheep each and starting about 9.30pm, will be the last of five events on the final night of the 63rd Golden Shears, preceded by the National Shearing Circuit final, a Transtasman shearing test match, the Golden Shears Open woolhandling final, and a Maori-Pakeha teams event.

Two-times individual World champion Joel Henare has made the top four of t5he Golden Shears Open woolhandling final, as he bids for an 11th consecutive win in the event.

© Scoop Media