Champions day at Poverty Bay Show

Champions day at Poverty Bay Show

World champions Rowland Smith and Joel Henare sent out ominous signals of their claims to more World titles as they dominated the two Open finals at the Poverty Bay A and P Show in Gisborne on Saturday.

Their wins by wide margins came six days ahead of the last points rounds in Shearing Sports New Zealand’s selection circuits, after which finalists will be named for series finals at the Canterbury Show next month, leading to the naming of the team for the World Championships in Invercargill on February 9-11.

Reigning World, Golden Shears and New Zealand champion and Hastings-based shearer Smith won the Open shearing final by more than five points from runner-up and Gisborne shearer Tama Nia Nia, who is not in the selection series but who was shearing in his home-town final for a fourth year in a row. Nia Nia had also been runner-up last year third in 2013 and 2014.

Henare, the 2012 World champion Gisborne woolhandler and reigning Golden Shears and New Zealand title holder, totally dominated the board and the tables to win the Poverty Bay show’s Open woolhandling final for a fifth year in a row.

Smith and Henare lead their respective series and are warm favourites to represent New Zealand at the World Championships in Invercargill on February 9-11.

Smith was first to finish Saturday’s shearing final, finishing the 16 full-wooled sheep in 15 minutes 37 seconds, and also had the best points in pen judging. Pongaroa shearer David Buick was second to finish, 12 seconds later, but had to settle for fourth in the final count behind Smith, Nia Nia and Napier-based international and defending Poverty Bay show champion John Kirkpatrick, originally from the East Coast, north of Gisborne.

Wairoa shearer Adam Morton had his biggest win by claiming the senior shearing title by more than three points from event favourites Ricci Stevens and Paraki Puna, both of Napier, although Stevens is originally from Gisborne.

There were two unique wins in lower grade events, with Open-class woolhandler Carmen Smith, of Pongaroa, winning the Junior shearing final, and Open-class shearer D.J.Crawford the novice woolhandling final.

Results from the Poverty Bay A and P Show shearing and woolhandling championships in Gisborne on Saturday, October 16, 2016:

Open final (16 sheep): Rowland Smith (Hastings) 15min 37sec, 57.975pts, 1; Tama Nia Nia (Gisborne) 16min 39sec, 63.325pts, 2; John Kirkpatrick (Napier) 16min 56sec, 63.988pts, 3; David Buick (Pongaroa) 15min 49sec, 67.325pts, 4.

Senior final (8 sheep): Adam Morton (Wairoa) 11min 40sec, Ricci Stevens (Napier/Gisborne) 11min 52sec, 50.725pts, 2; Paraki Puna (Napier) 11min 33sec, 51.775pts, 3; Nukutai Tuhura (Ruatoria) 12min 26sec, 52.675pts, 4.

Intermediate final (4 sheep): Anaru Wakefield (Porangahau) 7min 31sec, 31.3pts, 1; Te Aohau Te Maipi, 6min 38sec, 40.65pts, 2; Duran Smith (Gisborne) 7min 27sec, 46.35pts, 3; Theresa Aporo-Hall (Martinborough) 7min 3sec, 50.4pts, 4.

Junior final (3 sheep): Carmen Smith (Pongaroa) 7min 36sec, 40.467pts, 1; Koi Ngarangione (Gisborne) 7min 9sec, 44.783pts, 2; Te Rangi Edwards (Gisborne) 12min 5sec, 53.25pts, 3; Hemi White (Rotorua), 12min 11sec, 56.55pts, 4.

Woolhandling:

Open final: Joe Henare (Gisborne) 134.85pts, 1; Amy Karaka (Te Karaka) 225.03pts, 2; Penny Kerekere (Gisborne) 313.97pts, 3; Keryn Herbert (Waimiha/Te Awamutu) 341.63pts, 4.

Senior final: Rahna Williams (Flaxmere) 137.6pts, 1; Theresa Aporo-Hall (Martinborough) 166.6pts, 2; Nadia Mason (Dannevirke) 190.1pts, 3; Vivian Taitapanui (Gisborne) 231.6pts, 4.

Junior final: Bianca Hawea (Masterton) 96.55pts, 1; Lucas Broughton (Patea) 115.8pts, 2; Whati Turipa (Tolaga Bay), 122.9pts, 3; Tira Ngarangione (Gisborne) 130pts, 4.

Novice final: D.J.Crawford (Gisborne), 46.4pts, 1; Iriesha Carrington- Hingston Gisborne) 60.11pts, 2; Paerata Abraham (Masterton) 65.27pts, 3; Ereti Hinaki (Gisborne) 72.74pts, 4.

ENDS

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