Kiwis win second test against Wales
was going for three in a row after winning at both the Oxford and Mackenzie A&P shows in the South Island over Easter.
Orlando Ratima, of Hunterville, scored a big win in the junior final, more than 2 points clear of Napier teenager and Golden Shears winner Kaivah Cooper, who was gunning for a seventh win in a row.
Maramarua shearer Thomas Marchant claimed third place, having also won at both weekend shows in the South Island.
Mac Foreman, of Pahīatua, won the novice final.
In the open woolhandling final, it was Waikato-King Country just about all the way.
Hamilton’s Chelsea Collier scored her first win since February last year, beating favourite and runner-up Keryn Herbert, of Te Kuiti, by almost 19 points.
Third place went to Peggy Sue Tohengaroa, of Aria, in her first open final since 2017.
Collier had scored a big double last year at the national crossbred lambs championships in Winton and the Rangitīkei Shearing Sports North Island championships in Marton, but last week’s final was just her fourth in the 2023-2024 season.
It was the 10th final of the season for fourth placegetter and New Zealand World Championships team member Ngaio Hanson, who remains without a win in the open class.
The senior woolhandling final provided a fourth win for the season for Saskia Tuhakaraina, of Gore, and Paige Marshall, from Taumarunui, claimed a first win in the junior final.
The new competition attracted 137 entries, including 28 in the open shearing and 23 in the open woolhandling.
Results from the Hawke’s Bay Autumn Shears
Waipukurau, Wednesday, April 3
Shearing
Wools of New Zealand International Shearing Series, Second Test (20 sheep): New Zealand (Paerata Abraham 16m 13s, 57.4pts; David Gordon 17m 23s, 59.7pts) 117.1pts, beat Wales (Gethin Lewis 16m 19s, 59.25pts; Llyr Jones 16m 39s, 59.75pts) by 1.9pts.
Open final (20 sheep): David Gordon (Masterton) 16m 10s, 56.2pts, 1; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 15m 33s, 57.65pts, 2; John Kirkpatrick (Pakipaki) 16m 59s, 58.5pts, 3; Paerata Abraham (Masterton) 15m 47s, 59.1pts, 4.
Senior final (10 sheep): Nathan Bee (Wyndham) 9m 47s, 36.05pts, 1; Forde Alexander (Taumarunui) 10m 7s, 39.15pts, 2; Te Ua Wilcox (Gisborne) 10m 42s, 40pts, 3; Laura Bradley (Papatawa) 10m 38s, 40.3pts, 4.
Intermediate final (6 sheep): Blake Mitchell (Patea) 7m 42s, 31.77pts, 1; Ethan Fladgate (Te Awamutu) 8m 13s, 31.82pts, 2; Duncan Adams (Scotland) 8m 56s, 35.47pts, 3; Heath Barnsdall (Piopio) 8m 54s, 37.03pts, 4.
Junior shearing (4 sheep): Orlando Ratima (Hunterville) 6m5s, 27.25pts, 1; Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 6m 37s, 29.6pts, 2; Thomas Marchant (Maramarua) 5m 50s, 31pts, 3; Tom Clarkson (-) 6m 22s, 33.35pts, 4.
Novice final (1 sheep): Mac Foreman (Pahiatua) 3m 8s, 19.4pts, 1; Rebecca Dickson (Halcombe) 3m 42s, 21.1pts, 2; Angus Monk (-) 3m 4s, 31.2pts, 3; Noah Henricksen (-) 2m 42s, 35.1pts, 4. Woolhandling
Open final: Chelsea Collier (Hamilton) 35.824pts, 1; Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti) 54.63pts, 2; Peggy Sue Tohengaroa (Aria) 63.53pts, 3; Ngaio Hanson (Eketāhuna) 69.806pts, 4.
Senior final: Saskia Tuhakaraina (Gore) 41.562pts, 1; Amy Bell (Weber) 46.212pts, 2; Ashleigh Mei (-) 57.41pts, 3; Mere Maraki (Flaxmere) 59.56pts, 4.
Junior final: Paige Marshall (Taumarunui) 36.87pts, 1; Grace Croasdale (Masterton) 40.95pts, 2; Marama Timmins (Opotiki) 50.16pts, 3; Chloe Henderson (Hunterville) 50.712pts, 3.