French connection at Te Kuiti speedshear
An international shearing competition with a difference will take place as 2019 World Chmpionships hosts France make
another move on the international stage in Te Kuiti tomorrow night (Friday).
Competing in a special male and female teams at the second North Island Speedshear Chmpionship at the Waitete Rugby Club
will be brother-and-sister Thimoleon and Jalle Resneau.
The pair have been shearing in King Country and will be matched with prominent senior-class New Zealand shearer
Catherine Mullooly and the top qualifier from the night’s Open-class speedshear heats.
It is part of a special French connection on the night with the first presentation of a trophy commemorating New Zealand
shearer Beau St George, who was killed in a road crash in France last April.
Most of the North Island’s top Open and Senior shearers are expected in Te Kuiti for the Speedshear, which kicks-off the
post-Christmas season across the mid-upper North island, followed by another Speedshear in Bay of Plenty township Te
Puna on Saturday night, and the Tauranga A and P Lifestyle Show shearing championships on Sunday.
The Te Kuiti event offers prizes worth more than $6500, including a $2000 Open final first prize. It was won last year
by 2014 World Champion Hawke’s Bay shearer Rowland Smith, with a time of 19.4 seconds for his single sheep, while there
was a further international influence in the Senior final won by Chris Rowberry, from England.
ENDS