Matene Mason of Masterton during the shearing event at the Āria Sports Day. PHoto: Mary Anne Gill
Waitangi Day was all about Āria as the King Country village hosted its annual sports day, but the long weekend also set the stage for more international shearing ahead.
From left, New Zealand manager Neil Fagan with shearers Toa Henderson and Jack Fagan and Welsh manager Rhys Davies with Gwion Evans and Llyr Jones. Photo Shearing Sports NZ
In Āria, Jack Fagan (Te Kūiti) and Northland’s Toa Henderson won the first of three tests against Welsh pair Llyr Jones and Gwion Lloyd Evans by just 1.25 points.
“We’re rapt to get that first win,” New Zealand team manager Neil Fagan told The News. “It was close, but we’re still reasonably confident we can now close the series out. That’s our goal, but it won’t be easy.”
Last year, the black singlets defeated Wales three-nil in New Zealand before going down to their rivals 2–1 during a hard-fought European tour.
A solitary sheep escaped the shearers’ clippers hoping to hide among the shorn flock at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Later this month, the Kiwis face Wales at the Counties Shears in Pukekohe, South Auckland, and at the Taumarunui Shears.
“We’re definitely a lot harder to beat at home but there’s also more expectation and pressure. We never take tests lightly – Llyr Jones was second in the Open in Āria, so that shows they are right up there.”
Henderson won the Open shearing final ahead of Jones with Nathan Stratford (Southland) in third.
This year’s Āria Sports Day was especially testing due to next month’s World Champs at the Golden Shears in Masterton.
“It was probably the strongest field I’ve seen in Āria for many years with some top shearers from overseas,” Fagan said. “They’re all starting to turn up for the World Champs.”
Competitors, including Te Kūiti’s Jack Fagan, left, wait for the judges to check their shorn sheep. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Attention to detail could be one of the major reasons Te Kūiti’s Jack Fagan is such a good shearer. Here seen magnifying his shearing combs for a top performance. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
While success was in relatively short supply for King Country’s shearers over the weekend, Āria’s Senior final went to Callum Bosley (England/Ōtorohanga), Ngahuia Salmond (Te Kūiti) placed second in the Novice final and Izzy Ferguson (Piopio) was third in the Junior final.
Jack Fagan also won the Quota Club Speed Shear in Te Kūiti later that evening.
As for the region’s woolhandlers, they stepped up in style. Taumarunui’s Vinniye Phillips was Āria’s Open winner, finishing ahead of Keryn Herbert (Te Kūiti).
Feilding’s Chloe Henderson won the Senior section, and Kelly Barrett (Kāwhia) and Tia Manson (Piopio) joined her on the podium.
Herbert’s daughter, Salmond was the best of the Junior woolhandlers with Atiria Barrowcliffe (Piopio) second and Paige Marshall, (Kihikihi) third.
Phaeton-Ray Phillips (Taumarunui), Marieke Muller (Ōtorohanga) and Kasey Hiriaki (Piopio) finished first, second and third respectively in the Novice contest.
Callum Bosley from the United Kingdom with wool handler Jonathan Haakull during the shearing competition at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The sheep looks well rested as Lachie Cameron (Puketapu, Hawke’s Bay) shears it during the Āria Sports Day competition. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The following day, at the Rangitīkei Shears in Marton, Salmond added to her placings in Āria finishing first in the Novice shearing competition and fourth in the Junior woolhandling.
Herbert won the Open woolhandling final with Taumarunui sisters Te Anna and Vinniye Phillips third and fourth.
Barrett was another repeat performer, adding a win in the Senior woolhandling final to her second place the day prior.
Saturday’s Rangitīkei Shears also included a selection series for the World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships set for next month’s Golden Shears in Masterton.
While Neil Fagan won’t be managing the team, he will be judging during the Golden Shears.
“The New Zealand team definitely has a good team of shearers and woolhandlers,” he said. “I’m reasonably confident that they will do well.”
The team is: shearers – Allan Oldfield (South Canterbury/Wellington), Tony Dobbs (South Canterbury), Toa Henderson (Northland) and Rowland Smith (Hawke’s Bay); woolhandlers – Joel Henare (Tasman) and Marika Braddick (Eketahuna).
Long day, from left Matene Mason with son Riki, 10, from Masterton and Zakaia Lewis (Dannevirke) maintain their shearing combs from the back of their ute. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The legendary Sir David Fagan was a judge at the shearing events during the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Te Kūiti shearing champion Jack Fagan gives this placid sheep a good cut during the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Callum Bosley from the United Kingdom with wool handler Jonathan Haakull during the shearing competition at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Matene Mason of Masterton during the shearing event at the Āria Sports Day.
Norwegian Emilia Meling now lives in Kekerengu, Seddon and works at Moore Sheep Shearing in the South Island when not on the shearing circuit, here seen competing at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Sam Smeaton from Yorkshire is spending his summer in New Zealand competing on the shearing circuit and was at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Te Kūiti shearing champion Jack Fagan gives this placid sheep a good cut during the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Wool handler Kelly Barrett reaches for the fleece while Jesse McIntyre keeps shearing under the watchful eye of judge Sir David Fagan during the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Keeping a close eye on the wool handlers’ performance is judge Bo Pakau-Clark of Masterton. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Norwegian Emilia Meling now lives in Kekerengu, Seddon and works at Moore Sheep Shearing in the South Island when not on the shearing circuit, here seen competing at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
A sheep waiting to be shorn sneaks a look at the pen of coiffed sheep who have had their wool cut. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The shearing kept spectators entertained throughout the day at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Jack Fagan, front, pushes another shorn sheep through the pen during the shearing event at Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Wool aplenty waiting to be baled at the Āria Sports Day after the shearing. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The Big Guns, from left Josef Winders, Jack Fagan and Paul Swann in one of the senior heats at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Down you go: Matene Mason (Masterton) pushes another shorn sheep down the pen while another sheep awaits behind the gate at the Āria Sports Day. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
