| NEW CHAMPION AT GOLDEN SHEARS
By DES WILLIAMS Stratford's Paul Avery won the Golden Shears open championship at Masterton on Saturday night with a stunning victory over defending champion, David Fagan. A capacity crowd at the War Memorial Stadium greeted the new winner with a standing ovation in recognition of his achievement in becoming just the 20th person to win the coveted purple ribbon in the 45-year history of the event. Eleven times since 1990, the 38-year-old Taranaki man has appeared in Golden Shears open finals without actually winning, his previous best effort being runner-up to John Kirkpatrick in 2002. The emotional but humble champion admitted his long-held dream had finally come true and he acknowledged the part that family and friends had paid in achieving that. Avery had been the "form-horse" in weeks leading up to the Golden Shears but gave his supporters a huge fright when he was sixth and last qualifier into the final. The final itself proved to be an epic match race between Fagan, Kirkpatrick and Avery, with Fagan first to finish his 20-sheep pen in 16 minutes 47 and Avery switching off his machine 15 seconds later. Avery had the quality advantage however to take the title by 0.8 of a point. David Fagan won the Wrightson National multi-breeds final earlier in the evening to secure a place in the New Zealand team to contest the world championships at Toowoomba in June. He joins the NZ fine wool champion, Grant Smith of Rakaia in the two-man machine shearing team, which also includes blade shearers Bill Michelle (Invercargill) and Shane Casserly (Twizel), together with woolhandlers Tina Rimene (Gore) and Joanne Kumeroa of Wanganui. The team will be managed by Mavis Mullins of Dannevirke. Results:b Golden Shears, Masterton, 3/4/5 March 2005Golden Shears Open championship: Paul Avery, Stratford, 59.586 1; David Fagan, Te Kuiti, 60.396 2; John Kirkpatrick, Napier, 60.682 3; Dig Balme, Te Kuiti, 62.736 4; Dean Ball, Te Kuiti, 62.818 5; James Fagan, Te Kuiti, 62.958 6. Wrightson National: David Fagan, Te Kuiti, 69.080 1; Dion King, Napier, 70.640 2; James Fagan, Te Kuiti, 71.044 3; Darin Forde, Winton, 72.208 4; Joe Paewai, Te Karaka, 77.808 5Tony Coster, Rakaia, 6. Trans-Tasman test: Australia (Shannon Warnest, Jason Wingfield, Daniel McIntyre) 206.177 1; New Zealand (Darin Forde, Grant Smith, John Kirkpatrick) 208.624 2. Senior: Choppa Waihape, Mataura, 40.090 1; Ringa Paewai, Dannevirke, 41.066 2; Aaron Paewai, Dannevirke, 41.809 3; Andy Mainland, Invercargill, 42.388 4; Daimon Wipaki, Taihape, 42.732 5; Ivan Scott, Ireland, 42.928 6. Intermediate: Hemi Keelan, Ruatoria, 38.513 1; Troy Pyper, Invercargill, 39.299 2; Angus Moore, Blenheim, 42.025 3; Rowland Smith, Ruawai, 44.440 4; Brendan Braddick, Eketahuna, 46.002 5; Ian Minto, Scotland, 50.947 6. Junior: Stafford Chase, Taihape, 28.996 1; Kodi Pomare, Dannevirke, 31.562 2; Dion Reedy-Walker, Ruatoria, 34.460 3; Tane Henderson, Kaiwaka, 34.845 4; John O’Neill, Alexandra, 34.34.968 5; Punga Mullins, Dannevirke, 36.334 6. Novice: Stephanie Challis, Pahiatua, 30.990 1; Nick Owen, Taratahi, 31.600 2; Georgeo Hawkins, Masterton, 33.106 3; Martha Marshall, Waikaretu, 33.702 4; Toa Henderson, Kaiwaka, 35.377 5; Clinton Algie, Kaiwaka, 35.378 6. YFC open: James Fagan, Te Kuiti, 38.499 1; David Buick, Pahiatua, 42.824 2; Neil Fagan, Te Kuiti, 49.536 3; Mark Buick, Masterton, 52.604 4; Joseph Kyle, Napier, 5; Tuma Mullins, Dannevirke, 6. Woolhandling: Open: Gina Nathan, Alexandra, 152.008 1; Sheree Alabaster, Taihape, 185.310 2; Ronnie Goss, Kimbolton, 190.946 3; Keryn Herbert, Te Awamutu, 197.210 4. World championships elimination: Joanne Kumeroa, Wanganui, 289.630 1; Tina Rimene, Gore, 381.490 2; Lisa Fagan, Te Kuiti, 407.090 3. Senior: Hayley Holm, Dannevirke, 139.960 1; Rebecca Braddick, Eketahuna, 185.410 2; Pikihuia Martin, Masterton, 246.276 3; Te Oti Martin, Masterton, 271.182 4. Junior: Aroha Ryan, Invercargill, 130.000 1; Leisha Atkinson, Pahiatua, 218.690 2; Tuma Mullins, Dannevirke, 222.248 3; Elain Robin, Gisborne, 222.794 4. Trans-Tasman test: New Zealand (Tina Rimene and Angelique Gage) 325/468 1; Australia (Louise Taylor and Sian Bacon) 411.406 2. North Island circuit: Open: Ronnie Goss, Kimbolton, 175.500 1; Tom Fleming, Te Karaka, 181.030 2; Sheree Alabaster, Taihape, 184.910 3; Angelique Gage, Christchurch, 237.780 4. Senior: Amy Kara, Gisborne, 148.622 1; Hayley Holm, Dannevirke, 154.354 2; Penney Kerekere, Gisborne, 206.872 3; Aunty Mere Thompson, Port Waikato, 223.894 4. Junior: Te Atakura Karaka, Te Karaka, 146.506 1; Danae Stoney, Taihape, 147.660 2; Tuma Mullins, Dannevirke, 171.066 3; Stacey Te Huia, Masterton, 184.414 4. Woolpressing: Mens singles: Jeremy Goodger, Masterton, 64.300 1; Lee Paku, Masterton, 76.000 2. Womens singles: Joanne Kumeroa, Wanganui, 87.100 1; Tracey Henderson, Dannevirke, 89.700 2. Pairs: Willie Sharp and Jeremy Goodger (Masterton) 1; Dave Ewe and Carl Cocks (Masterton) 2. Des Williams Last Side Publishing Ltd Tel ++00 7 843 4944 Fax ++00 7 843 8944 Mob 0274 833 465 |