$20K For A Minute's Shearing: Go Kiwi
Four of New Zealand’s fastest shearers are making a flying trip to Australia which could end up with one of them winning $A20,000 for barely a minute’s shearing on Saturday.
Jimmy Samuels, of Marton, Jack Fagan, of Te Kuiti, Paerata Abraham, of Masterton, and Floyd Neil, from Taumarunui, but who also operates out of Boyup Brook, West Australia, will all be competing in the Oberon Quick Shear, about 180km west of Sydney.
A total of about $A45,000 is at stake, including the $A20,000 in the Open final, and Samuels, who has also been a nationally-ranked darts player, is the defending champion, having won last year’s single-sheep final in 20.78 seconds.
It was his 60th win in Quick Shear or Speed Shear events, and he warmed-up for another bid with a rare show final placing over 20 sheep at Marton on Saturday and a third place in the Aria Cosi Club Speed Shear final in southern King Country on Monday night.
Back in New Zealand on Saturday, the shearing sports focus will be on the Otago Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in a woolshed near Balclutha and shearing-only events at the Northern Wairoa A and P Show at Arapohue and the Te Puke A and P Show in Bay of Plenty.