The 47-year-old from Te Kuiti had also won the title 12 times in a row from 1990 to 2001, and again in 2004 and 2005.
He featured in a remarkable final in which just 52 seconds separated the six finalists after 20 sheep.
Fagan was first off the board in 15min 56.96sec, beating 2006 winner Dion King of Napier by less than 1.5 seconds, and just after tailender and Taranaki-based Scotsman Gavin Mutch went in for his last.
It was a tense wait before Fagan could be confirmed the winner, ultimately by half-a-point from world champion Paul Avery of Stratford, whose craftsmanship went close to helping him snatch the Golden Shears title for the third time.
Fagan finished with 58.088pts, Avery 58.607pts, and third was former New Zealand open champion Dean Ball, another Te Kuiti veteran, with 58.832pts.
Avery also had to settle for second in the PGG Wrightson National Series final in which Rakaia shearer Tony Coster took the title to the South Island for the first time since 2004.
Fagan won the National last year, for the eighth time, but did not contest the series this year.
New Zealand also beat Australia in the closest trans-Tasman shearing test in New Zealand, with the Australian World champion team members Jason Wingfield and Shannon Warnest finishing first and second on individual points.
The Kiwi team of John Kirkpatrick, James Fagan and Nathan Stratford won by less than a point from the Australian team of Wingfield, Warnest and Damian Boyle.
Kirkpatrick also won the Open Plate, some consultation for missing out on a place in the final after being a $1.70 first favourite with the TAB.
There was a hometown triumph as Tina Rimene of Masterton, won her third Golden Shears open woolhandling title.
She previously won the event in 1994 and 1997, and beat teenager Joel Henare, of Gisborne, who was runner-up, ahead of World champion Sheree Alabaster, of Taihape.
Kirkpatrick's nephew, Ian Kirkpatrick, of Gisborne, won the senior shearing title, Bevan Guy, of Kaeo, won the intermediate title, and Jake Rangiwai, of Mataura, won the junior final, emulating the feats of brothers Maaka and Phillip who won the title in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
The Golden Shears senior woolhandling final was won by Ratapu Paikea, of Northland, and Fiona Christensen, of Masterton, won the junior final.
Results from all events:
International:
Shearing
New Zealand v Wales
First Test (12 sheep): New Zealand 80.984pts (Paul Avery 10min 34sec, 40.033pts; John Kirkpatrick 10min 57.34sec, 40.951pts) beat Wales 97.761pts (Gareth Daniel 11min 43.74sec, 45.771pts; Nicky Beynon 13min 16.47sec).
Transtasman Series
Second Test (6 merino, 3 long-wool, 3 second-shear): New Zealand 235.151pts (James Fagan 16min 9.54sec, 78.06pts; John Kirkpatrick 17min 31.27sec, 78.231pts; Nathan Stratford 18min 10.54sec, 78.86pts) beat Australia 236.042pts (Jason Wingfield 16min 22.83sec, 76.476pts; Shannon Warnest 16min 42.77sec, 77.888pts; Damian Boyle 19min 21.89pts).
Woolhandling
Transtasman Series
Second Test: New Zealand (Keryn Herbert and Joel Henare) 605pts beat Australia (Rachel Hutchison and Angela Wakely) 635.2pts. New Zealand won first test in Hay, NSW, in November, and win the series 2-0.
Individual and teams events:
Shearing
Golden Shears Open final (20 sheep): David Fagan (Te Kuiti) 15m 56.96sec, 58.098pts, 1; Paul Avery (Stratford) 16min 25.14sec, 58.607pts, 2; Dean Ball (Te Kuiti) 16min 15.64sec, 58.832pts, 3; Gavin Mutch (Whangamomona) 16min 48,32sec, 59.116pts, 4; Jerome McCrea (Wanganui) 16min 21,79sec, 61.29pts, 5; Dion King (Napier) 15min 58.39sec, 62.72pts, 6.
Open Plate (six beaten semi-finalists, 10 sheep): John Kirkpatrick (Napier) 8min 24.6sec, 35.03pts, 1; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 8min 47.39s, 35.57pts, 2; Jason Win (Ikamatua) 8min 32.78sec, 38.339pts, 3; Rowland Smith (Ruawai) 9min 19.69sec, 38.484pts, 4; James Fagan (Te Kuiti) 8min 40.47sec, 39.124pts, 5; Alton Devery (Tuatapere) 9min 43.36sec, 40.268pts, 6.
PGG Wrightson National Series final (3 merino, 3 halfbread, 3 long-wool, 3 second-shear, 3 lambs): Tony Coster (Rakaia) 17min 52.31sec, 67.483pts, 1; Paul Avery (Stratford) 17min 56.81sec, 71.707pts, 2; James Fagan (Te Kuiti) 17min 41.87sec, 3; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 18min 13.23sec, 74.462pts, 4; Grant Smith (Rakaia) 18min 30.15sec, 75.975pts, 5; Adam Brausch (Dannevirke) 17min 41.16sec, 74.992pts, dq.
Golden Shears Senior final (10 sheep): Ian Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 12min 8.58sec, 44.679pts, 1; Bou Dean Hawkins (Martinborough) 12min 16.71sec, 48.253pts, 2; Alex Reid (Taihape) 13min 18.12sec, 49.489pts, 3; Mark Graingers (Te Kuiti) 12min 53.35sec, 50.334pts, 4; Aaron Haynes (Feilding) 14min 25.35sec, 52.601pts, 5; Paul Lewis (Gisborne) 13min 54.15sec, 55.375pts, 6.
Golden Shears Intermediate final (8 sheep): Bevan Guy (Kaeo) 9min 59.45sec, 40,472pts, 1; Shane Hackett (Christchurch) 10min 41,96sec, 40.598pts, 2; Tipene Te Whata (Tautoro) 10min 13.57sec, 40.928pts, 3; Ingrid Baynes (Wairoa) 10min 46.63sec, 41.832pts, 4; Jason Edwards (Rakaia) 12min 25.77sec, 42.663pts, 5; Matene Mason (Masterton) 10min 21.2sec, 43.935pts, 6.
Golden Shears Junior final (5 sheep): Jake Rangiwai (Mataura) 7min 53.29sec, 34.664pts, 1; Nick Manukau (Gore) 8min 6.09sec, 37.304pts, 2; Wi Ngarangione (Gisborne 7min 56.97sec, 37.648pts, 3; Rowan Forrest (Scotland) 8min 1.86sec, 37.893pts, 4; Sharnie Rimene (Masterton) 8min 48.27sec, 41.614sec, 5; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 9m 7.55sec, 6.
Golden Shears Novice final (2 sheep): Tane Matiaha (Masterton) 5min 29.49sec, 23.974pts; Simon Goss (Kimbolton) 6m 3.33sec, 25.166pts, 2; Conan Gray (Masterton) 6min 28.65sec, 26.932pts, 3; Brendan Graham (Ireland) 7min 12.42sec, 36.121pts, 4; Selena Birchler (Eketahuna) 9min 4.31sec, 46.716pts, 5; Chris Hay (Wanganui) 5min 39.54sec, 49.477pts, 6.
Woolhandling:
Golden Shears Open final: Tina Rimene (Masterton) 279.2pts, 1; Joel Henare (Gisborne) 311pts, 2; Sheree Alabaster (Taihape) 313pts, 3; Penny Kerekere (Gisborne) 398pts, 4.
Golden Shears Senior final: Ratapu Paikea (Kaiwaka) 186.8pts, 1; Jonathon Haakull ( Norway ) 205pts, 2; April Longstaff ( Stratford 211pts, 3; Ngawai Tau (Dannevirke) 250pts, 4.
Golden Shears Junior final: Fiona Christensen (Masterton) 186pts, 1; Tania Addis (Alfredton) 200.8pts, 2; Shani Graham (Masterton) 216pts, 3; Catherine Christey (Te Awamutu) 252pts, 4.
North Island Woolhandling Circuit:
Open: Joel Henare (Gisborne) 146pts, 1; Hanatie Tipene (Porangahau) 171.6pts, 2; Keryn Herbert (Te Awamutu) 195pts, 3; Veronica (Ronnie) Goss (Kimbolton) 214.6pts, 4.
Senior: Angela Aldridge (Te Kuiti) 229pts, 1; Martha Marshall) 279.2pts, 2; Victoria Kumeroa (Wanganui) 285.8pts, 3; Kiri Gerretzen (Palmerston North) 299.9pts, 4.
Junior: Catherine Christey (Te Awamutu) 190pts, 1; Kiley Laris (Masterton) 224pts, 2; Ursula Taiaroa (Masterton) 225.4pts, 3; Tane Matiaha (Masterton) 229pts, 4.
Woolpressing
Men's singles: Jeremy Goodyer (Masterton) 70.7pts, 1; Vinnie Goodyer (Masterton) 74.6pts, 2; Jareth Fox (Masterton 3, Karl Forward (Napier) 4.
Men's Pairs: Vinnie and Jeremy Goodyer (Masterton) 58.1pts, 1; Rob and Paul Lewis (Gisborne) 68.5pts, 2.
Women's singles: Fiona Christensen (Masterton) 88.5pts, 1; Kiri Gerretzen (Palmerston North) 137.5pts, 2.
Women's pairs: Fiona Christensen (Masterton) and Cushla Gordon (Masterton) 68.3pts, 1; Daisy Taua and Kiri Gerretzen 110.2pts, 2.
Triathlon (shearing, woolhandling and pressing): Jeremy Goodyer (Masterton) 195.231pts, 1; Tane Matiaha (Masterton) 198.44pts, 2; Shilo Koroheke (Masterton) 244.599pts, 3; Tuma Mullins (Dannevirke) 263.894pts, 4.
Contractors Teams Event: Paewai Mullins Guns, Dannevirke (Tuma Mullins, Aron Paewai, Oti Mason, Joel Henare, Jukka Livari) 428.9pts, 1; Shear expertise, Masterton (Samson Te Whata, Matene Mason, George Hawkins, Ursula Taiaroa, Vinnie Goodyer) 458.5pts, 2; Paewai Mullins Wannabees, Dannevirke (Punga Mullins, Bevan Holm), Dallas Mihaere, Rochee Collier, Tuma Mullins) 515.6pts, 3.
Maori-Pakeha Teams Event (8 sheep each): Cam Ferguson (Waipawa) and Bart Hadfield (Wairoa) 64.7pts, 1; James Mack (Weber) and Phil Wedd (Napier) 73.015pts, 2; Rodney Macdonald (Raglan) and Tony Coster (Rakaia) 70.913pts, 3.
YFC events
Blue Ribbon Shearing Championship (8 sheep): David Buick (Pahiatua) 8min 19.98sec, 32.874pts, 1; Sam Welch (Waikaretu) 8min 29.48sec, 35.849pts, 2; Angus Moore (Blenheim) 8min 37.01sec, 36.725pts, 3; Peter Jackson (Dannevirke) 9min 7.27sec, 38.489pts, 4; Mark Grainger (Te Kuiti) 9min 35.56sec, 42.653pts, 5; Mark Buick (Masterton) 9min 58.02sec, 6.
Shearing and Woolhandling Teams Championship: Waikato (Peter Jackson, Mark Grainger, Keryn Herbert, Anita Phillips) 197.703pts, 1; Northland (Angus Moore, Sam Welch, Sian McLeod, Ratapu Paikea) 265.259pts, 2; East Coast (David Buick, Mark Buick, Rebecca Braddick, Leisha Atkinson) 292.813pts, 3.
