Sitting it out – Kirkpatrick has itchy feet at Golden Shears

Sitting it out – Kirkpatrick has itchy feet at Golden Shears

Four-times Golden Shears Open shearing champion John Kirkpatrick conceded today he’s getting itchy feet sitting out an injury at the 55th championships in Masterton – but it doesn’t stop him lending a hand.

Napier shearer Kirkpatrick, 44, has been helping-out with the computer scoring system, while recovering from an operation on a shoulder injury which has kept him out of action since July last year.

He has otherwise shorn at the Golden Shears every year since his debut at the World’s premier shearing and woolhandling competition, when he won the Intermediate final in 1993.

While bracing at the bit, he’s taking his time, prepared to take the advice of his specialist, and having resumed strengthening work hopes to be able to shear at the New Zealand championships in Te Kuiti next month – the last competition of shearing legend David Fagan.

Kirkpatrick says the break will do him good in the long run, as he hopes next season to be challenging for a place at the next World Championships in Christchurch in 2017.

It was Kirkpatrick who in 2002 ended the 12-year Golden Shers Open reign of Fagan who still went on to to win the big event three more times, and is favourite to win a 17th and final time tomorrow, at the age of 53.

“It’s his competitiveness that amazes me most,” said Kirkpatrick who won the Open again in 2008, 2011 and 2012. “That’s what’s kept him out on top for so long.”

“It’s not going to be easy to beat him,” he said, when asked to nominate the shearer most likely to beat Fagan, who last won in 2009 and who has failed to reach the final in the last two years.

Punters are not shying-away however. Fagan, who has won 12 finals this season, is a $2.50 TAB favourite to win and was today the subject of a $2000 bet.

TAB shearing bookmaker said that by 1pm, before the Open championship heats had started, that punting turnover on the Open final was already double that of last year.

Another significant bet was $1000 on Hastings shearer and 2006 winner Dion King, resulting in his odds being cut from $8 to $6.

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