Welsh on song, but Kiwis win the shearing

The New Zealand shearing team has completed a 4-0 cleansweep of the CP Wool Series against France with an emphatic victory over Wales at the Apiti and District Show's shearing sports today.

But what the rookie visiting team of Lloyd Rees and Aled Jones lacked in their series with Kiwi guns Nathan Stratford and David Buick was made-up-for in abundance with the performance by Wales manager Rhydwyn Price as the teams lined-up on stage before the final event of the series.

A shearer who also happens to be a professionally-trained singer, Price astonished the crowd of several hundred by singing both national anthems, including God Defend New Zealand in both english and maori.

New Zealand manager Russell Knight, of Apiti, was coaxed by the crowd into saving some face for the home nation providing some vocal accompaniment in what he recognised was possibly his first-and-last public singing performance all in one.

The team's win gave then a 5-3 outcome for the year, having been beaten 3-1 in a series involving two experienced welsh combinations last July.

Golden Shears favourites Rowland Smith and Joel Henare again left the best of the rest struggling in their respective wakes as they won the days Open shearing and woolhandling titles respectively.

Heading into the week of the 59th Golden Shears in Masterton, shearer Smith followed up a Friday win at Taumarunui and heads for a possible second cleansweep of a rare pre-Golden Shears treble when he competes at the Pahiatua Shears tomorrow(Sunday).

Reigning World Champion woolhandler Henare bounced back from a fifth placing at Taumarunui to score a narrow win over Taumarunui winner, reigning New Zealand Shears champion and 2008 World champion Sheree Alabaster.

It was a good day for leading South Island hopes at the Golden Shears, with Southland shearers Nathan Stratford and Brett Roberts both reaching the Open shearing final, Lionel Taumata, of Gore, winning the Senior final, and Tyson Crown, of Mataura, winning the Intermediate final. Ringakaha Paewai, of Gore, was runner-up in the Open Plate won by Jimmy Samuels, of Marton.

The Junior shearing final was won by Topia Barrowcliffe, of Piopio, while in the other woolhandling finals the Senior event was won by Summer Pritchard, of Pongaroa, and the Junior title was won by Cortez Ostler, of Kimbolton.

Shearing:

Open final (20 sheep): Rowland Smith (Hastings) 17min 42sec, 57.8pts, 1; David Buick (Pongaroa) 17min 35sec, 58.9pts, 2; Dion King (Flaxmere) 17min 29sc, 60.6pts, 3; Nathan Sratford (Invercargill) 18min 50sec, 61.9pts, 4; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 17min 57sec, 62.6pts, 5; Paerata Abraham (Masterton) 18min 14 sec, 67.7pts, 6.

Open plate (8 sheep): Jimmy Samuels (Marton) 8min 26sec, 32.55pts, 1; Ringakaha Paewai (Gore) 8min 34sec, 32.825pts, 2; Tysson Hema (Waipukurau) 9min 2sec, 35.6pts, 3; James Ruki (Te Kuiti) 10min 14sec, 35.7pts, 4; Tristan McKay (Wairoa) 10min 38sec, 39.4pts, 5; Lee Harris (Hamilton, Vic.) 10min 59sec, 40.075pts, 6.

Senior final (10 sheep): Lionel Taumata (Taumarunui/Gore) 11min 29sec, 44.65pts, 1; David Gordon (Masterton) 11min 41sec, 44.75pts, 2; Simon Goss (Kimbolton/Mangamahu) 13min 2sec, 45.1pts, 3; Cody Greig (Sanson) 11min 15sec, 45.45pts, 4; Sean Gouk (Masterton) 12min 35sec, 46.85pts, 5; Laura Bradley (Woodville) 13min 17sec, 49.55pts, 6.

Intermediate final (6 sheep): Tyson Crown (Mataura) 7min 43sec, 31.15pts, 1; Chris Dickson (Masterton) 8min 37sec, 34.0167pts, 2; Kyle Mita (Masterton) 8min 37sec, 34.5167pts, 3; Tawera Brown (Martinborough) 9min 1sec, 37.05pts, 4; Liam Pritchard (Pongaroa) 9min 2sec, 37.4333pts, 5; Cory Barrowcliffe (Piopio) 9min 47sec, 39.85pts, 6.

Junior final (4 sheep): Topia Barrowcliffe (Piopio) 7min 11sec, 33.3pts, 1; Mark Gwynne (Wales) 6min 48sec, 33.4pts, 2; Mark Baxter (Pongaroa) 7min 22sec, 37.1pts, 3; Atawhai Hadfield (Ruakituri) 7min 50sec, 41.5pts, 4; Harlem Chase (Taupo) 6min 12sec, 42.85pts, 5; Katie Reid (Scotland) 7min 30sec, 46.25pts, 6.

Novice (1 sheep): Adam Gordon (Masterton) 3min 50sec, 16.5pts, 1; Summer Pritchard (Pongaroa) 4min 1sec, 21.05pts, 2; Connor McIntyre (Dannevirke) 3min 45sec, 24.25pts, 3; Jerome Papworth (Alfredton) 4min 48sec, 25.4pts, 4; Renee Biggs (Mangamahu) 6min 20sec, 27pts, 5; Michael Buick (Pongaroa) 5min 47sec, 31.35pts, 6.

Veterans (2 sheep): Russell Knight (Apiti) 3min 8sec, 17.4pts, 1; Peter McCabe (Tauranga) 3min 16sec, 18.8pts, 2; Kevin Buckman (Apiti) 3min 37sec, 24.85pts, 3; Chris Drew (-) 3min 23sec, 30.15pts, 4; Andy Owen (-) 3min 59sec, 43.95pts, 5; Dennis McKenzie (-) 5min 10sec, 49pts, 6.

Woolhandling:

Open final: Joel Henare (Gisborne) 40.046pts, 1; Sheree Alabaster (Taihape) 44.25pts, 1; Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti) 54.814pts, 3; Chelsea Collier (Gore) 72.22pts, 4.

Senior final: Summer Pritchard (Pongaroa) 66.712pts, 1; Crystal Bird (Eketahuna) 68.65pts, 2; Lucky Garrett (Eketahuna) 97.91pts, 3; Azuredee Paku (Masterton) 106.3pts, 4.

Junior final: Cortez Ostler (Kimbolton) 60.426pts, 1; Lucas Broughton (Whanganui) 61.444pts, 2; Lee Edmonds (Whanganui) 72.82pts, 3; Te Anna Phillips (Taumarunui) 73.94pts, 4.

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