Southland's Samuels heads to Golden Shears on back of commanding win
Southland shearer Leon Samuels set sail for his defence of the Golden Shears Open title in Masterton this week with a commanding win at the Pahiatua Shears on Sunday.
Southland shearer Leon Samuels set sail for his defence of the Golden Shears Open title in Masterton this week with a commanding win at the Pahiatua Shears on Sunday.
Emerging from a field of 53 in the heats, in which he qualified in 6th place, followed by 4th in the quarterfinals, and last man in from the semi-finals, Samuels was first-off in the final, in 16m 25.8s, and won by 1.395pts from 2024 New Zealand Shears Te Kuiti champion David Buick, of Pongaroa, who had started the weekend treble with a win at Taumarunui on Friday.
On Sunday he was 16 seconds clear of next-man-off Hemi Braddick, of Eketahuna, in a showdown of 20 sheep in which all-but four-times Golden Shears champion and Hawke’s Bay shearer John Kirkpatrick finished in under 17 minutes.
With time and quality points combined, Braddick had to settle for third place, and Kirkpatrick was fourth. Buick had the best quality points in the pens, while 2024 Golden Shears runner-up Casey Bailey, of Riverton, had the best points on the shearing board, with just 9 penalties across the 20 sheep.
It completed a remarkable weekend of Open shearing, in which Northland gun Toa Henderson won the Apiti YFC Sports title north of Feilding on Saturday.
None of the six at Taumarunui reached the final the next day at Apiti and in all-14 shearers were among the 18 finalists across the three days.
The most notable absentee was Hawke’s Bay gun and eight-times Golden Shears Open champion Rowland Smith, who has won twice this season bouncing back from the injury that kept him out of last year’s championship.
The Open woolhandling finals during the weekend were also shared, with Te Anna Phillips claiming her first Open title at Taumarunui, where the locals won all four woolhandling finals, while Ngaira Puha, of Kimbolton, had her second win of the season at her home show at Apiti.
Absent from the two events was Joel Hanare, who this week goes for an 11th Golden Shears Open woolhandling title, as Open shearers and woolhandlers hit the second round of their New Zealand team selection series’ ahead of the World Championships in Masterton next year.
Also shared were the Senior shearing titles, with Laura Bradley, of Papatawa, claiming her 8th title of the season at Taumarunui, John Cherrington, of Oamaru, having his 6th win of the season at Apiti, and Taelor Tarrant, of Taumarunui, winning at Pahiatua, for his second win of the season.
Part-time Wairoa shearer and former Golden Shears Novice winner Ryka Swann won the Intermediate finals at Apiti and Pahiatua, while North Otago Junior shearer Tye Meikle took his tally for the season to 12 wins with victories at Taumarunui and Pahiatua. But at Apiti he was runner-up to competition newcomer Paddy Hudson, of Hokonui, for a third time in five weeks.
Alice Otimi, of Ngapuke, near Taumarunui, won the Senior woolhandling finals Taumarunui and Apiti, while the Junior titles went to home-show competitor Miri Thompson at Taumarunui and senior shearer Bradley’s sister and former Golden Shears Novice winner Eleri Bradley.
The competitions again reflected the big entry numbers ahead of the 63rd Golden Shears which will attract more than 400 shearers, woolhandlers and woolpressers to Masterton this week.
The increased numbers were also seen at the small Kaikoura A and P Show Shears, where 25 shearers competed on Saturday.
Wakefield shearer Travers Baigent won the Open final, denying a first Open final win for Axle Reid, formerly of Taihape and now of Waipawa, and who was second, while stopping-off to compete and judge while on his way back to the North Island, where he competed the next day at Pahiatua.
But it’s not the end of the Golden Shears build-up, with the Hawke’s Bay Autumn Shears shearing and woolhandling in Waipukurau tomorrow (Tuesday) and the Wairarapa Pre-Shears woolhandling championships on Wednesday at Mikimiki, north of Masterton.
Entries for the Golden Shears had by Monday morning risen to a total of 477 across the nine Golden Shears shearing and woolhandling championships, an increase of 16 on last year, when there was a dramatic increase from recent years’ entries. With some competing in both shearing and woolhandling and some others in woolpressing and the speedshear events, total entries have exceeded 570.
RESULTS from the Taumarunui Jamboree Shears shearing and woolhandling championships at Hikurangi Station on Friday February 21, 2025:
Shearing:
Open final (20 sheep): David Buick (Pongaroa) 17m 33.44s, 59.372pts, 1; Paerata Abraham (Masterton) 17m 29.03s, 60.852pts, 2; Mark Grainger (Te Kuiti) 16m 55.91s, 61.546pts, 3; Gavin Mutch (Scotland/Dannevirke) 16m 58.94s, 63.347pts, 4; David Gordon (Masterton) 17m 45.11s, 63.506pts, 5; Angus Moore (Ward) 17m 55.72s, 65.186pts, 6.
Senior final (10 sheep): Laura Bradley (Papatawa) 11m 49.61s, 41.781pts, 1; Taelor Tarrant (Taumarunui) 11m 26.69s, 43.935pts, 2; Gabriel Winders (Invercargill) 12m 0.86s, 44.243pts, 3; Aiden Tarrant (Mapiu) 11m 22.06s, 44.303pts, 4; Tommy Stevenson (Ruawai) 12m 13s, 44.45pts, 5; Ethan Fladgate (Te Awamutu) 12m 39.45s, 48.273pts, 6.
Intermediate final (6 sheep): Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 8m 25.52s, 33.276pts, 1; Matthew Yates (Australia) 8m 52.91s, 33.979pts, 2; Keahrey Manson (Piopio) 8m 19.78s, 36.156pts, 3; Ryka Swann (Wairoa) 8m 50.61s, 35.198pts, 4; Lewis Mackay (Scotland) 8m 12.55s, 37.128pts, 5; Sam Parker (Raglan) 8m 36.28s, 38.147pts, 6.
Junior final (4 sheep): Tye Meikle (Oamaru) 6m 57.83s, 26.642pts, 1; Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 8m 10.92s, 28.796pts, 2; Sonya Fagan (Otorohanga) 7m 50.16s, 31.758pts, 3; Tamati Dennison (Kurow) 8m 3.11s, 34.256pts, 4; Maureen Chaffey (Pongaroa) 9m 16.78s, 38.339pts, 5; Ashlin Swann (Wairoa) 9m 42.47s, 38.374pts, 6.
Novice final (2 sheep): Jairus Hirohi (Raetihi) 5m 20.16s, 27.008pts, 1; Briar Joines (Kawahi) 6m 17.81s, 33.891pts, 2; Deacon Mackey (Taumarunui) 5m 50.52s, 34.026pts, 3; A.J.Hall (Taumarunui) 7m 8.36s, 34.918pts, 4; Keanu Edkins (Piopio) 7m 9.61s, 36.481pts, 5; Dawaadorj Baagii (Mongolia) 6m 57.83s, 47.392pts, 6.
Woolhandling:
Open final: Te Anna Phillips (Taumarunui) 90.93pts, 1; Ngaio Hanson (Eketahuna) 96.652pts, 2; Peggy Tohengaroa (Aria) 107.03pts, 3; Ana Braddick (Eketahuna) 112.486pts, 4; Chelsea Collier (Hamilton) 185.864pts, 5.
Senior final: Alice Otimi (Ngapuke) 58.794pts, Kelly Barrett (Kawhia) 88.888pts, 2; Chloe Henderson (Hunterville) 108,944pts, 3; Tatijana Keefe (Raupunga) 109.468pts, 4; Amy Bell (Weber) 143.53pts, 5.
Junior final: Miri Thompson (Taumarunui) 51.758pts, 1; Paige Marshall (Mariere) 74.18pts, 2; Miracle Waikato (Flaxmere) 75.4pts, 3; Waiari Puna (Napier) 99.326pts, 4; Capree Wallace (Taihape) 131.06pts, 5.
Novice: Gwen Rata (Taumarunui) 40.06pts, 1; Mihi Tawhai (Taumarunui) 42.52pts. 2; Tyisha Clarke 55.804pts, (Taumarunui) 3; Ella Brears (Taumarunui) 61.15pts, 4; Opal Ramsay Houpapa (Dannevirke) 72.596pts, 5.
RESULTS from the Apiti YFC Sports Shears shearing and woolhandling championships on Saturday, February 22, 2025:
Shearing:
Open final (20 sheep): Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 15m 30.16s, 55.008pts, 1; Leon Samuels (Invercargill) 15m 53.77s, 55.0385pts, 2; Hemi Braddick (Eketahuna) 16m 1.16s, 57.108pts, 3; Brook Hamerston (Hastings) 17m 40.87s, 60.2435pts, 4; Gavinng Mutch (Scotland/Dannevirke) 16m 49.44s, 60.322pts, 5; Tama Niania (Gisborne) 17m 39s, 62pts, 6.
Senior final (10 sheep): John Cherrington (Oamaru) 11m7.63s, 40.3815pts, 1; Laura Bradley (Papatawa) 11m 22.5s, 41.825pts, 2; Dre Robberts (Mataura) 11m 13.16s, 42.258pts, 3; Gabriel Winders (Invercargill) 10m 47.03s, 43.4515pts, 4; Callum Bosley (Cornwall, England) 11m 41.62s, 43.481pts, 5; Richard Lancaster (Clitheror, England) 11m 52s, 48.1pts, 6.
Intermediate final (6 sheep): Ryka Swann (Wairoa) 7m 35.19s, 29.5928pts, 1; Michael Buick (Pongaroa) 8m 39.57s, 30.3118pts, 2; Mitchell Yates (Kimba, South Australia) 8m 31.68s, 31.4173pts, 3; Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 7m 42.9s, 31.4783pts, 4; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora) 9m 31.19s, 37.2262pts, 5; Lachie Cameron (Kimbolton) 8m 53.1s, 42.3217pts, 6.
Junior final (4 sheep): Paddy Hudson (Hokonui) 6m 0.12s, 26.256pts, 1; Tye Meikle (Oamaru) 6m 4s, 27.95pts, 2; Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 6m 48.28s, 29.164pts, 3; Kevin Noone (Donegal, Ireland) 6m 28.22s, 31.411pts, 4; Sonya Fagan (Te Kuiti) 6m 21.28s, 32.314pts, 5; Waiari Puna (Napier) 7m 16.61s, 34.5805pts, 6.
Novice final (2 sheep): Jess Gooding (Featherston) 8m 36.81s, 30.3405pts, 1; Holly Bird (Taihape) 8m 31.25s, 33.5625pts, 2; Charlie Kjestrup (Pongaria) 8m 35.06s, 34.753pts, 3; Sam Short (-) 9m 14.31s, 35.2155pts, 4; Shyla Gordon (Masterton) 8m 56.05s, 41.3025pts, 5; Ollie Shelby (-) 11m 26.47s, 44.835pts, 6.
Woolhandling:
Open final: Ngaira Puha (Kimbolton) 57.66pts, 1; Vinniye Phillips (Taumarunui) 66.69pts, 2; Summer Pritchard (Pongaroa) 66.91pts, 3; Lucky Garrett (Pahiatua) 67.22pts, 4; Te Anna Phillips (Taumarunui) 5; Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti) 6.
Senior final: Alice Otimi (Ngapuke) 34.988pts, 1; Amy Bell (Weber) 60.16pts, 2; Tatijana Keefe (Raupunga) 60.956pts, 3; Lee George (-) 66.22pts, 4; Pieta Gilbert (Raetihi) 5; Chloe Henderson (Hunterville) 6.
Junior: Eleri Bradley (Palmerston North) 46.87pts, 1; Capree Wallace (Taihape) 51.25pts, 2; Laura Bradley (Papatawa) 51.38pts, 3; Miracle Waikato (Flaxmere) 52.03pts, 4.
Novice: Ella Crofskey (Palmerston North) 45.232pts, 1; Jessica Will (-) 50.72pts, 3; Tyisha Clarke (Taumarunui) 53.37pts, 4; Riria Moanaroa (-) 54pts, 5; Opal Ramsay Houpapa (Dannevirke) 56.53pts, 6.
RESULTS from the Kaikoura A and P Show Shears on Saturday, February 22, 2025:
Open final (14 sheep): Travers Baigent (Wakefield) 13m 29.91s, 48.71pts, 1; Axel Reid (Waipawa) 14m 28.43s, 50.14pts, 2; Dave Brooker (Cust) 16m 51.48s, 64.95pts, 3.
Senior final (8 sheep): Reuben King (Kaiapoi) 10m 16.16s, 38.81pts, 1; Liam Norrie (Amberley) 10m 59.1s, 40.33pts, 2; Scott McKay (Upper Clarence) 10m 40.81s, 47.17pts, 3.
Intermediate (5 sheep): Ella Caves (Rangiora) 7m 37.43s, 37.67pts, 1; Jahvontay Smith (Christchurch) 7m 47.75s, 44.79pts, 2; Pam Irvine (Tapawera) 14m 4.03s, 56.8pts, 3.
Junior final (3 sheep): Hollie Crombie (Rangiora) 8m 19.03s, 34.95pts, 1; Jacob Booth (Waimate) 7m59.25s, 40.63pts, 2; Jordan Collins (Ward) 10m 1.47s, 58.41pts, 3.
Clean shear (2 sheep, 3min): Liam Norrie (Amberley) 3pts, 1; Axel Reid (Waipawa) 4pts, 2; Reuben King (Kaiapoi) 9pts, 3.
RESULTS from the Pahiatua Shears on Sunday, February 23, 2025:
Open final (20 sheep): Leon Samuels (Invercargill/Roxburgh) 16m 25.8s, 56.54pts, 1; David Buick (Pongaroa) 16m 53.7s, 57.935pts, 2; Hemi Braddick (Eketahuna) 16m 41.52s, 59.026pts, 3; John Kirkpatrick (Napier/Pakipaki) 17m 46.33s, 60.917pts, 4; Casey Bailey (Riverton) 16m 55.95s, 62.298pts, 5; Angus Moore (Ward) 16m 45.08s, 64.554pts, 6.
Senior final (10 sheep): Taelor Tarrant (Taumarunui) 10m 7.73s, 37.887pts, 1; Johnn Cherrinngton (Oamaru) 11m 14.08s, 39.004pts, 2; Tom Stevenson (Ruawai) 11m 35.86s, 41.693pts, 3; Aidan Tarrant (Mapiu) 11m 18.25s, 42.713pts, 4; Randall Aranui (Martinborough) 12m 21.67s, 45.181pts, 5; Dalton Tangiwai (Pahiatua) 13m 4.77s, 46.139pts, 6.
Intermediate final (6 sheep): Ryka Swann (Wairoa) 7m 36.75s, 30.505pts, 1; Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 7m 52.28s, 30.614pts, 2; Mitchell Yates (Kimba, South Australia) 8m 40.67s, 31.867pts, 3; Paddy Dunne (Wicklow, Ireland) 8m 4.25s, 33.213pts, 4; Sam Parker (Raglan) 7m 59.53s, 33.311pts, 5; Michael Buick (Pongaroa) 9m 17.33s, 35.867pts, 6.
Junior final (5 sheep): Tye Meikle (Oamaru) 7m 11.63s, 26.182pts, 1; Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 7m 51.42s, 27.771pts, 2; Paddy Hudson (Hokonui) 7m 46.58s, 28.529pts, 3; Tom Ckarkson (Martinborough) 7m 38.77s, 29.539pts, 4; Sonya Fagan (Te Kuiti) 7m 27.77s, 31.339pts, 5; Waiari Puna (Napier) 9m 12.25s, 36.613pts, 6.
Novice final (2 sheep): Hunter Wigglesworth (Marton) 6m 12.08s, 24.104pts, 1; Phoebe Monk (Masterton) 5m 47.13s, 27.857pts, 2; Charlie Kjestrup (Pongaroa) 7m 35.08s, 28.754pts, 3; Cody Hall (Taumarunui) 5m 56.48s, 29.324pts, 4; Aimee Atkin (Eketahuna) 7m 28.39s, 20.92pts, 5; Claire McFetridge (Tikokino) 5m 47.86s, 35.393pts, 6.