MEDIA RELEASE

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

December 12, 2010

Speedy shear raises $12,000 for Pike River families

A speedshear and charity auction featuring many of the World's fastest shearers in Reefton last night (Saturday) raised more than $12,000 for the families of Pike River mine disaster victims.

The outcome of the Shearing Sports Charity Speedshear stunned co-organiser Gavin Rowland who commented it had only been seven days earliier that the idea first arose over a few beers at a birthday party in the North Island.

"It was amazing," he said. "These guys never hesitated, and came here all off their own bat, and put on a really great night."

Used to winning prizes of over $1000 in Speedshears throughout the country, the shearers in last night's event competed only to help the cause, and for a trophy commemorating the occasion.

The event was held in a packed bar at Dawson's Hotel, and brought together 10 of the fastest shearers, including former World individual champions David Fagan, Alan MacDonald and Canterbury-based Scottish shearer Tom Wilson, new World champion Cam Ferguson and World nine-hour lamb shearing champion Dion King.

Age did not weary Fagan who at the age of 49, and winner of 605 Open competition final finals around the World in the last 28 years, won the final with a quickest time of just over 15 seconds.

A Pike River Charity Speedshear singlet signed by the shearers sold at auction for $750 and a package of singlets and a programme signed by current World teams champions Fagan and Ferguson also sold for over $700.

Two more singlets worn by the shearers last night and signed by them will be auction on New Zealand on-line auction site Trademe.

ENDS

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