On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

January 4, 2009.

The countdown to this year's World shearing championships begins in earnest for many top shearers as the Shearing Sports New Zealand season resumes with the national lambshearing championships at the Western Shears in Raglan on Saturday.

The event, the first since the end of November, is expected to include defending open champion and Taranaki farmer Paul Avery, who won the World title in Norway in March 2008.

Avery, 42, is contemplating making this his last competition season, with the goal of defending his World title in Wales, but to retain his black singlet he must win either the Golden Shears open title in Masterton in March, or the New Zealand open title in Te Kuiti five weeks later.

Avery is however facing one of the keenest conmpetition seasons ever, with 2008 World championships teammate John Kirkpatrick, of Napier, King Country icon and five-times World champion David Fagan, and at least six other top contenders, all knowing they will have to do the competition miles to make sure they are ready for the challenge, in which many say the hardest part will be gaining selection in the two-man New Zealand team.

The open competition heats on Saturday will also form the fourth of five qualifying rounds in the top all-wools competition, the PGG Wrightson National Round (incorporating the McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown). Previous rounds were held at Alexandra (finewool) Waimate (longwool) and Christchurch (corriedale), and the fifth round will be held at Pahiatua (second-shear) at the end of next month, the top 12 qualifying for the finals during the 50th Golden Shears a few days later.

Furher details and contacts for individual competitions are available at www.shearingsports.co.nz while current PGG Wrightson national Round points are available at www.goldenshears.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media