Sheer delight for Southland shearer
It’s been a golden weekend for Southland shearers at the Golden Shears in Masterton.
Invercargill’s Leon Samuels has come out victorious in the six-man final to become the first South Island shearer to have their named etched on the open shearing trophy in 35 years.
Samuels finished the final in second place behind Wairarapa’s David Buick. However, the latter was docked points and had to settle for third, allowing Riverton’s Casey Bailey to finish as runner-up.
Southland’s Nathan Stratford, who was contesting his 12th open final, was fourth.
Originally from Mangakino in the North Island, Samuels, who is based in Southland and Australia, had finished third in the 2020 edition, his only previous appearance in the Golden Shears.
This year Samuels was 1,235 points ahead of Bailey, who placed second. Stratford and Samuels were quoted from the outset by the TAB as the most likely to win, Samuels making it a fifth win for the season.
Stratford won a third PGG Wrightson National Shearing Circuit final, with just a 0.355pts margin to Samuels in second place, in another Southland quinella.
Best-known for quality shearing overcoming time deficits against the faster shearers throughout an openclass career of 27 seasons, Stratford was the second fastest of the 12 qualifiers to graduate from the eight-sheep-each Top 30 shootout, before making it to the final.
It was Stratford’s 20th national circuit final, and on the night he also shore his 18th trans-Tasman test, a New Zealand team record celebrated by teaming with Samuels and Marlborough shearer Angus Moore in an all-South Island win over Australians Daniel McIntyre, Nathan Meaney and Josh Bone.
It was Stratford’s last test, so for Samuels a proud moment to celebrate the win with his mentor.
Gabriel Winders and Nathan Bee were pipped in the Golden Shears senior finals, finishing second and third respectively.
A Southland team won the annual championships’ first regional team shearing challenge, with Mataura’s Brett Roberts and Wyndham’s Bee joining forces to beat a North Canterbury couple.