It is a big week in the South for shearers and woolhandlers.
The annual Otago shearing and New Zealand woolhandling championships will be held in Balclutha on Friday and Saturday.
This is the last round of the circuit to select the New Zealand representatives to compete at the world championships in Masterton in March. It will be followed next Friday and Saturday by the Gore Southern Shears.
Events begin in Balclutha on Friday at 8am and finals will start at 3pm on both days. A speed-shear will be held on Friday night.
The country's top shearers and woolhandlers will be in action and organisers expected very close competition.
An international challenge on Saturday will feature various teams from overseas, with world champion Cam Ferguson and shearing legend David Fagan representing New Zealand.