| SHEEP RUN HUGE SUCCESS By Des Williams If on-lookers judged Te Kuiti’s first ever "running of the sheep" like a gymnastics competition, Rora Street would have been knee deep in "tens" on Saturday afternoon. As sheep are wont to do, the leaders in the mob twisted, turned and contorted their way along the asphalt with moves reminiscent of a Comaneci or Korbut of Olympic Games past glory. Staged as a publicity stunt to generate interest in the New Zealand shearing championships over the weekend, the run worked better than even the most optimistic event organisers might have hoped for. "If it was designed to bring people into town, it certainly worked," said Te Kuiti local, Peter Lange. "The whole main street is just abuzz with people." Otorohanga dairy farmers, Chris and Clare Beck, brought their children Kirsten, Hayley and Megan into Te Kuiti just for the occasion: Megan (11) was hoping for her first close up view of sheep, "as long as they don’t come too close, because they are dirty!" Afterwards, the Beck family confirmed the event had been suitably chaotic and exciting. "I didn't think there were 2000 sheep in the mob but I learned later that some had taken off down another street," Chris Beck said. The rampant mob (sheep, not people) took some controlling during its one kilometre gambol around the shopping centre. Those famous farming identities, Colin Meads and Sir Brian Lochore did their best to lead the flock from the comfort of their quad farm bikes, with only partial success. While the smell of lanolin and sheep droppings generated by the woolly beasts didn’t quite match the fear factor and adrenalin rush of a Pampolona bull run, it more than met the expectations of another Te Kuiti man, Ray Scrimgeour: "This is the sort of stuff that made our country great. The only thing that might be more exciting would be for someone to run a flock of politicians down the main street of Wellington! And as twilight settled on Te Kuiti, a team of men wielding high pressure hoses could be seen removing all evidence of the muster madness. Ends AUSSIE MOUTH NO MATCH FOR MEADS AND LOCHORE By Des Williams Australian rugby personality and author Peter FitzSimons probably talks more in a week than Sir Brian Lochore and Colin Mead do in a year, but his words were no match for the deeds of those two Kiwi icons in the celebrity shear at the New Zealand championships in Te Kuiti on Saturday night. Brought to the Shears as guest speaker by the organising committee, FitzSimons lined up with the two former All Blacks and attempted, with considerable assistance from John Fagan, to shear two sheep. While Lochore and Meads showed proficiency with the handpiece expected of any self respecting sheep farmer, the Australian, generously speaking, cut his way into shearing ignominy. With that ordeal over, the big man grabbed the microphone and set about restoring his self respect but Lochore wasn't about to make it easy for him. Asking if he, as a trans-Tasman neighbour, had been offended by recent remarks from a South African rugby commentator about the close association Australians have with their sheep, Sir Brian replied, "I can't say I was!" FitzSimons then hit his stride with a rapid string of rugby anecdotes and self-deprecating jokes that had the audience in fits of laughter. "Between us, David Campese and I have played 108 tests for Australia - of which "Campo" contributed 101!" Concluding his talk, FitzSimons then auctioned off a copy of his John Eales (former Australian rugby captain) biography as a fund raiser for the local "Kiwi Can" charity. "It's been signed by the great man - and John Eales has also signed it," he said. A local buyer paid $800.00 for the book. SOUTHLANDERS SHINE AT SHEARING CHAMPS By Des Williams Mataura's Cody Waihape upset the favoured North Island shearers to win the New Zealand intermediate shearing championship at Te Kuiti last night. Golden Shears champion Karl Nathan of Hawkes Bay made all the pace in the eight-sheep contest but allowed his quality ratings to slip just enough for Waihape to overcome a 15 second time deficit for overall victory. Waihape has been the outstanding competitor in South Island competitions this season, with major wins at Lumsden, Balclutha and Gore to his credit. Another Mataura shearer, Cole Pewhairangi, claimed third place in the event, continuing his good form and following his second to Nathan at Golden Shears a month ago. NZ Shearing Championships -Day Two Results: Tectra North Island Shearer of the Year: (to follow) Pfizer Animal Health intermediate: Cody Waihape, Mataura, 33.950 1; Karl Nathan, Te Hauke, 35.245 2; Cole Pewhairangi, Mataura, 35.870 3; Hemi Keelan, Ruatoria, 36.075 4; Sam Welch, Dannevirke, 38.285 5; Nathan Maddock, Australia, 40.310 6. Roy Candy Wools junior: Tai Hoera, Dannevirke, 30.425 1; Rowland Smith, Ruawai, 31.625 2; Simon Bedwell, Scotland, 32.605 3; Harley Reay, Taumarunui, 32.745, Jordan Marshall, Matiere, 33.305 5; Richard Miller, Nelson, 33.700 6. Novice: Piri Winikeri, Piopio, 15.355 1; Punga Mullins, Dannevirke, 16.140 2; Lucy Stone, Masterton, 18.160 3; Taina Connelly, Kaiwaka, 19.465 4; Tane Paewai, Dannevirke, 19.500 5; Mason Adams, Lumsden, 20.135 6. Elco Direct Inter-Island Challenge: South Island (Darin Forde, Justin Meikle, Nathan Stratford, Lisa Fagan, Bernadette Forde, Tina Rimene) 226.100 beat North Island (David Fagan, Dion King, John Kirkpatrick, Ronnie Goss, Joanne Kumeroa, Waina Peneha) 247.160. Te Kuiti Meat Processors local contractors' relay: Te Kanawa team(Gavin Mutch, Joseph Kyle, Colin Thirkell) 36.545 1; Dean Ball team 2; David fagan team 3; Lane McSkimming team 4, Huia barlow team 5; Cartwright Terry team 6. Woolhandling: Champion of Champions: (to follow) Primary Wools senior: Waimiere Hakaraia, Masterton, 121.602 1; Angie Stoney, Taihape, 128.464 2; Chelsea Collier, Wairio, 143.244 3; Tania Fielding, Wanganui, 144.964 4; Adell Roxburgh, Oparau, 148.600 5. Merial junior woolhandling: Hanatia Tipene, Porangahau, 76.480 1; Hayley Holm, Dannevirke, 99.940 2; Jean Munro, Taumarunui, 113.440 3; Alwen Eidda, Wales, 113.890 4; Ffion Williams, Wales, 116.070 5. Wrightson Woolpressing singles: Steve McGinity, Bulls, 1; Lui Paewai, Dannevirke, 2. Waitomo News Woolpressing pairs: Jeremy Goodger and Mike Anderson, Masterton, 1; Kelly Brill and Daniel Brill, Te Awamutu, 2. Day three results from Waitomo Cultural and Arts Centre, Te Kuiti, Saturday 3 April 2004: FAGAN AGAIN - BUT ONLY JUST By Des Williams David Fagan gave Te Kuiti a perfect ending to the 20th national shearing championships on Saturday night by winning the open title, but only after a titanic struggle with tenacious Paul Avery of Stratford. Both shearers worked through their pens of 20 sheep at frenetic pace, spurred on by 1500 fans jammed into the Waitomo Civic Centre. Fagan finished first in 14 minutes with Avery four seconds back and both Dig Balme and John Kirkpatrick also finishing within half a minute of the leaders. Fagan won the title with superior quality but admitted his stomach had been churning as he awaited the announcement: "Winning Golden Shears last month was a special occasion but I had my heart set on winning this 20th anniversary title in my home town and I thought Paul [Avery] might just have done enough to beat me." Earlier in the evening, Avery won the Heiniger Icon circuit final for the third time in five years. A demanding contest involving both merino fine wool and romney crossbred sheep, Avery defied his lack of recent merino experience to beat Southland's Darin Forde and secure his own place (with Fagan) in the two-man New Zealand team to tour Canada and Wales in July. Dean Ball's winning of the North Island Shearer of the Year final on Friday evening meant the three major titles on offer went to three different shearers for the first time in the history of the championships. Taihape's Sheree Alabaster won the open woolhandling title at her first appearance in a major final, beating Lisa Fagan of Te Kuiti with meticulous fleece preparation. Te Karaka's Tom Fleming continued his fine form over the past season to secure third placing. The novel "brothers" contest, introduced three years ago with seven starters, this year drew 19 entries, with 2002 Golden Shears champion John Kirkpatrick and his brother Herb edging out Darin and Glenn Forde in what has become a feature event on the show programme. Results: Heiniger/Merial/FMG New Zealand open:David Fagan, Te Kuiti,49.660 1; Paul Avery, Stratford, 51.945 2; John Kirkpatrick, Napier, 52.975 3; Dig Balme, Te Kuiti, 54.775 4; Nathan Stratford, Invercargill, 55.555 5; Alan MacDonald, Otangiwai, 56.020 6. Primary Wools NZ open woolhandling:Sheree Alabaster, Taihape, 131.768 1; Lisa Fagan, Te Kuiti, 158.640 2; Tom Fleming, Te Karaka, 182.744 3; Sharon Lawton, Gore, 184.874 4; Oti Mason, Gisborne, 192.388 5. Novartis NZ Shears vs Warrnambool Shears teams challenge: New Zealand (Darin Forde, Dean Ball, Adam Brausch) 142.765 penalties beat Australia (Jason Wingfield, Roger Mifsud, Nathan Maddock) 154.330. Wrightson NZ "Brothers": John and Herb Kirkpatrick, 22.889 1; Darin and Glenn Forde, 24.839 2; John and David Fagan, 25.035 3; James and Neil Fagan, 25.212 4; Ian and Stuart Kirkpatrick, 29.770 5; Lane and Willy McSkimming, 30.282 6. Heiniger Icon circuit: Paul Avery, Stratford, 52.993 1; Darin Forde, Winton, 53.438 2; David Fagan, Te Kuiti, 54.445 3; James Fagan, Te Kuiti, 54.808 4; Nathan Stratford, Invercargill, 57.255 5; Dion King, Napier, 59.993 6. Bayer NZ Ltd senior shearing: Adam Brausch, Dannevirke, 39.902 1; Shane Rawlinson, Stratford, 44.823 2; Cam Ferguson, 44.833 3; Charles Sciascia, Taihape, 45.753 4; Robert Nikora, Dannevirke, 45.972 5; Aaron Hughes, Wales, 46.730 6. Ends. Further information from Des Williams Last Side Publishing Ltd Tel ++00 7 843 4944 Fax ++00 7 843 8944 Mob 0274 833 465 |