Two Goldies Winners Shine At Cheviot

It was from the greatest stage on shearing sports earth to one of the smallest as the Cheviot A and P Show on Saturday with two Golden Shears winners on hand, just a week after their big day in Masterton.

There were just nine woolhandlers at the only woolhandling competition among the 10 shows in the top half of the South Island from Rangiora to Reefton, but they included Joel Henare, who had won his 11th consecutive Golden Shears Open, and new Junior champion Chardz Taylor.

For Henare, down from Motueka and thus possibly the longest-travelled competitor of more than 30 shearers and woolhandlers on the day, it was a chance for a 143 Open-title win, and for Taylor a chance for a young Goldies winner to be paraded in front of a home crowd.

Their respective second wins in a week were thus unsurprising, Taylor’s win also a success for Taylor’s auntie, 2020-2021 Senior rankings No 1 Azuredee Paku, who was Henare’s only opposition in Saturday’s Open woolhandling.

“I’ve been mentoring her,” Paku said. “It’s been great.”

Henare is now on target for a 10th No 1 Open woolhandling ranking when the certificates are handed-out at the New Zealand Shears in Te Kuiti on March 27-29, with he and seven-times No 1 Keryn Herbert, of Te Kuiti, each having five wins this season.

Hugh De Lacy was in a class of his own in a three-man Open shearing final over 15 sheep each, 1m 33s clear of next-man-off and 2023-2024 national No 1 Senior Blake Crooks, and 8pts clear of ultimate runner-up Shaun Burgess after all points were counted.

In what was largely a competition day-out for shearers from or working in the area, 2016-2017 No 1 ranked Junior Liam Norrie had his third Senior win of the season, Trae Karaka, of Amberley, had his second in the Intermediate grade, and Holly Crombie had her third in the Junior grade.

RESULTS from the Cheviot A and P Show Shears on Saturday, March 8, 2025:

Shearing:

Open final (15 sheep): Hugh De Lacy (Rangiora) 14m 36.66s, 50.3pts, 1; Shaun Burgess (Rangiora) 16m 14.82s, 58.34pts, 2; Blake Crooks (Rangiora) 16m 9.72s, 58.95pts, 3.

Senior final (8 sheep): Liam Norrie (Cheviot) 10m 54.4s, 36.47pts, 1; Brent Bellamy (Strathmore) 11m 25.66s, 41.66pts, 2; Edward Harrington (Akaroa) 11m 24.53s, 42.6pts, 3.

Intermediate final (6 sheep): Trae Karaka (Amberley) 6m 22.25s, 27.95pts, 1; Eli Tylor (Cheviot) 5m 40.29s, 30.18pts, 2; Ella Caves (Rangiora) 8m 2.5s, 39.79pts, 3.

Junior final (3 sheep): Holly Crombie (Te Anau/Rangiora) 6m 26.5s, 27.66pts, 1; Danny Caldwell (Cheviot)

5m 43.87s, 33.86pts, 2; Chris Wilkinson (Cheviot) 6m 26.5s, 35.66pts, 3.

Novice:

Woolhandling:

Open final: Joel Henare (Gisborne/Motueka) 21.4pts, 1; Azuredee Paku (Masterton) 52.568pts, 2.

Senior Frinal: Sylvia McCarthy (Cheviot) 48pts, 1; Rochelle Price (Cheviot) 58.8pts, 2

Junior final: Chards Taylor (Cheviot) 47.668pts, 1; Ruby Reid (Rangiora) 122.56pts, 2.

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