West Australian shearer Damien Boyle was delighted to win the New Zealand Merino shearing open title for the fourth consecutive time in Alexandra on Saturday night at the New Zealand Merino Shearing and Woolhandling Championships.
Open final competitors had to shear 12 sheep and Mr Boyle won the event in 24 minutes 7.39 seconds with 113.87 points.
Alexandra shearing contractor and three-times title winner Dion Morrell was second in 21min 38.49sec with 129.255 points.
Shearing strength seems to run in the family as Mr Boyle's daughter, Jelena Morrell (4), won the teddy bear shearing competition.
Grant Smith, of Rakaia, was third in the open final with 26min 5.19sec (131.76pts), Charlie O'Neill, of Alexandra, was fourth with 23min 33.67sec (132.351pts), Angus Moore, of Kaitangata, was fifth with 25min 4sec (136.284pts), and John O'Neill, of Alexandra, was sixth with 24min 45sec and 139.25pts.
Te Atakura Crawford, of Te Karaka, won the senior shearing final in a time of 19min 10.25sec (101.313pts).
Tony Coster, of Rakaia and Chris Vickers, of Palmerston, beat Mr Boyle and fellow Australian Mark Buscombe in the Transtasman team event.
New Zealand Merino Shearing Society president Mervyn Kinaston, of Alexandra, said he was extremely pleased with how well the event went.
He said they received 100 entries in the shearing events and another 100 in the woolhandling competitions.
''The entries were a lot more than we expected, with some being received up until two days before the event,'' Mr Kinaston said.
''It was good to have a lady shearer win as well.''
''We had a fashion show on Saturday night [as part of the dinner, finals events and presentations] and that received a lot of favourable comments.''
He said the committee would hold a debrief in a few weeks.
Amy Ruki, of Invercargill, is the new woolhandling open winner, while Kyle Wihongi, of Hastings, won the senior woolhandling final, and Ruby O'Neill, of Alexandra, won the junior final.
NZ MERINO SHEARING AND WOOLHANDLING CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
SHEARING:
Transtasman (5 sheep): Alexandra New Zealand 153.55pts (Tony Coster, Rakaia, 11min 38sec, 73.7pts; Chris Vickers, Palmerston, 12min 5sec, 79.85pts) beat Royal Perth Australia 178.85pts (Damien Boyle, Broomehill, 10min 51sec, 81.35pts; Mark Buscomb, Williams, 11min 50sec, 97.5pts).
Senior final (5 sheep): 1, Te Atakura Crawford (Te Karaka) 19min 10.25sec, 101.313pts; 2, Patrick Duncan (Napier) 18min 31sec, 109.95pts; 3, Cody Beck (Taumarunui) 21min 12sec, 111pts; 4, Hayden Hill (Otorohanga) 19min 8.84sec, 119.442pts; 5, Corey Smith (Rakaia) 19min 53.73sec, 128.687pts; 6, Jake Rangiuaia (Mataura) 19min 17.55sec, 146.078pts.
WOOLHANDLING:
Open final (5 fleeces): 1, Amy Ruki (Invercargill) 309.848pts; 2, Rocky Hape-Taite (Dannevirke) 354.454pts; 3, Sarah Kara (Winton) 405.392pts; 4, Ratapu Moore (Kaitangata) 456.586pts.
Senior final (3 fleeces): 1, Kyle Wihongi (Hastings) 292.292pts; 2, Erana Smith (Ruatoria) 334.804pts; 3, Daine Rehe (Te Teko) 334.972pts; 4, Keisha Te Huki (Dannevirke) 608.728pts.
Junior final (3 fleeces): 1, Ruby O'Neill (Alexandra) 196.41pts; 2, Creedence Culshaw (Raupunga) 273.096pts; 3, Alayne Daysh (Pahiatua) 281.162pts; 4, Linda Duncan (Alexandra) 482.14pts.