Boothman, 31, of Crookwell, in the Southern Tablelands, about 240km southwest of Sydney, arrived from Australia on the day and was in charge almost all the way, as top qualifier for the quarterfinals and then the semifinals, and fourth going into the six-man final.
Boothman claimed the title by more than three points from runner-up and Mataura shearer Brett Roberts, who as the first New Zealander secured a place in a New Zealand team for the first time, while defending champion Chris Vickers, of Palmerston, was third.
There was more success for North Otago as 19-year-old Zoe Meikle, of Oamaru, claimed the novice woolhandling title on Friday.
Later she made up a family team with father Justin Meikle (open shearing), brother Tye (senior shearing) and mum Renee (open woolhandling) competing for McSkimming Shearing in finishing ninth of 18 in the shearing and woolhandling teams event.
The shears, which attracted 139 competitors including a small number from Australia, Wales and South Africa comprising 70 shearers (open 47, senior 23) and 69 woolhandlers (open 30, senior 11, junior 12, novice 16), was the first of 57 shows on the Shearing Sports New Zealand calendar for the season.
They include the 20th Golden Shears World shearing and woolhandling championships in Masterton on March 4-7, and end with the New Zealand Shears in Te Kuiti on April 9-11.
Next up are the Waimate Spring Shears today and tomorrow, incorporating a transtasman blades shearing test and the fourth round of the New Zealand world championships machine and blades shearing selection series.
Results from the New Zealand Merino Shears shearing and woolhandling championships.—
Shearing
Open final (12 sheep): Jamie Boothman (Crookwell, NSW) 21m 6.36s, 82.735pts, 1; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 22m 21.52s, 85.743pts, 2; Chris Vickers (Palmerston) 21m 2.08s, 87.604pts, 3; James Fagan (Te Kuiti) 20m 41.16s, 91.058pts, 4; Paerata Abraham (Masterton) 20m 28.13s, 92.074pts, 5; Erick Klabe (Guyra, NSW) 23m 34.73s, 93.82pts, 6.
Senior final (4 sheep): Tawhaarangi Taylor (Ohakune) 13m 26.58s, 61.579pts, 1; Dre Roberts (Mataura) 11m 37.09s, 67.105pts, 2; Taelor Tarrant (Taumarunui) 10m 29.19s, 68.96pts, 3; Jadas Guelfi (Gisborne) 10m 17.03s, 72.352pts, 4; Emma Martin (Gore) 14m 53.73s, 72.437pts, 5; Michael Garniss (Australia) 12m 30.34s, 74.767pts, 6.
Woolhandling
Open final (5 fleeces): Joel Henare (Gisborne/Motueka) 191.612pts, 1; Pagan Rimene (Alexandra) 247.2pts, 2; Foonie Waihape (Alexandra) 263.762pts, 3; Jasmin Tipoki (Napier) 292.664pts, 4.
Senior final (3 fleeces): Tia Manson (Piopio) 192.732pts, 1; Chiquita Tamepo (Hastings) 209.94pts, 2; Ashley Clarke (Gore) 254.1pts, 3; Misty-Rose Kokiri Elers(Mataura) 273.862pts, 4.
Junior final (3 fleeces): Mady Little (Balclutha) 182.874pts, 1; Jayda Millanta (Tauranga) 188.442pts, 2; Maia Rauhina (Whanganui) 189.062pts, 3; Grace Croasdale (Masterton) 216.706pts, 4.
Novice: Zoe Meikle (Oamaru) 88.056pts, 1; Priah Ratana Sciascia (Feilding) 97.07pts, 2; Angel Spooner (Ashburton) 103.6pts, 3; Jayda White (-) 133.5pts, 4.
Shearing and woolhandling teams (5 fleeces): Korua Ma (Ringakaha Paewae, Troy Christy, Pagan Timene, Foonie Waihape) 3333.929pts, 1; You’re Kidding (Paraki Puna, Tawhaarangi Taylor, Maia Rauhina, Jasmin Tipoki) 342.51pts, 2; Shedtalk (Paerata Abraham, David Gordon, Cushla Abraham, Amy Ferguson) 366.825pts, 3. — Allied Media
