Hawkes Bay shearer Cam Ferguson won his second Spring Shears title in Waimate on Saturday. Ferguson had the fastest time of 16min 51sec in the six-man final, shearing 16 full-woolled ewes.
Runner-up was veteran shearer David Fagan, of Te Kuiti.
Ferguson first won the New Zealand Spring Shears Open title in 2009, at the start of a season in which he went on to became the 2010 World Champion.
He lost the world title to New Zealand-based Scotsman Gavin Mutch in the 2012 World final in Masterton.
Shearing Sports New Zealand spokesman Doug Laing said Ferguson had his heart set on winning the Golden Shears or New Zealand Open titles this season and the chance to win back the big title in Ireland next May. Invercargill shearer Nathan Stratford, who has won the Waimate title six times previously, took third place overall, after receiving highest points for quality.
North Island woolhandlers dominated the woolhandling event. Keryn Herbert, of Te Awamutu, took first place and retaining the title, Dannevirke's Rocky Hape-Taite claimed second place and Tina Rimene, of Masterton, was third.
Mike McConnell, of Albury, won the first blades shearing event.