The event is always packed with excitement but this year Oamaru family members Justin, Tye and Zoe are cutting the rug together, with father Justin making a come-back of sorts this year, just to keep up with son and intermediate shearer, and last year’s top-ranked New Zealand junior, 19-year-old Tye.
"It’s just the young fellas here so I just came up and have a shear here today.
Last week also saw a fourth Meikle shearing, in the form of wife and mum Renee, who teamed up with the rest of the family in a team event.
"It’s good actually. I never imagined it would happen," Mr Meikle said.
Nevertheless, he powered his way through to the final of the Winter Comb men’s open section in the second fastest time, finishing fifth in the final, which was won by Nathan Stratford (Invercargill), with Brett Roberts (Mataura) second and Colin O’Neil (Alexandra) third.
Waimate Shears President Warren White said the event continued to pull in the top competitors, who were all "in expert condition" for the two-day event, which also included a transtasman shearing test, won by New Zealand’s Tony Dobbs and Scott McKay as well as the Spring Shears open final, won by Riverton’s Casey Bailey.
Results.—
International:
Transtasman bladeshearing test (5 sheep): New Zealand (Tony Dobbs 15m 52.59s, 56.23pts; Scott McKay 15m 34.63s, 56.732pts) 112.692pts beat Australia (Johnathon Dalla 15m 39.02s, 58.351pts; Andrew Murray 16m 38.84s, 75.292pts) 133.643pts.
Shearing:
Open final (18 sheep): Casey Bailey (Riverton) 18m 16.41s, 59.71pts, 1; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 17m 7.17s, 60.914pts, 2; John Kirkpatrick (Napier) 17m 54.5s, 61.003pts, 3; David Buick (Pongaroa) 17m 44.23s, 63.157pts, 4; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 18m 0.06s, 63.225pts, 5; Brook Hamerton (Hastings) 19m 10.48s, 64.468pts, 6.
Open novice (10 sheep): Joseph Gordon (Masterton) 10m 48.03s, 40.202pts, 1; Taare Edwards (Rakaia) 11m 56.66s, 42.133pts, 2; Blake Crooks (Rangiora) 11m 11.94s, 43.497pts, 3; Aiden Tarrant (Mapiu) 11m 49.98s, 46.199pts, 4; Nathan Bee (Wyndham) 11m 54.33s, 47.717pts, 5; Mohi Gray (Waipukurau) 11m 51.56s, 52.578pts, 6.
Senior final (8 sheep): Dre Roberts (Mataura) 10m 4.39s, 38.345pts, 1; Emma Martin (Gore) 10m 39.73s, 39.112pts, 2; Taelor Tarrant (Taumarunui) 9m 35.91s, 39.671pts, 3; James Wilson (Winton) 10m 44.78s, 41.364pts, 4; Sarn McCone (Temuka) 11m 5.03s. 42.377pts, 5; Timo Hicks (Tapawera) 10m 42.2s, 42.61pts, 6.
Intermediate final (5 sheep): Tye Meikle (Oamaru) 7m 27.33s, 26.567pts, 1; Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne) 7m 47.31s, 28.566pts, Michael Buick (Pongaroa) 7m 52.33s, 40.417pts, 3; Missy Te Whata (Mossburn) 8m 24.36s, 31.818pts, 4; Isaak Cleland (Oamaru) 7m 10.77s, 33.539pts, 5; Harlem Haare (Gore) 8m 20.05s, 36.403pts, 6.
Junior final (3 sheep): Galaxie Waihape (Mataura) 6m 29.94s, 27.164pts, 1; Reuben Wilkinson (Wyndham) 6m 50.42s 30.188pts, Ben Rowson-Jones (Derbyshire, England) 6m 33.16s, 31.658pts, 3; Tatyana Collier (Gisborne) 6m 36.84s, 35.508pts, 4; Joel McComb (Kurow) 8m 19.05s, 35.953pts, 5; Tracey Paton (Otaio) 7m 52.73s, 40.97pts, 6.
Novice final (1 sheep): Caden Hofman (Kurow) 3m 14.95s, 23.748pts, 1; Shyla Gordon (Masterton) 4m 45.23s, 30.262pts,2; Khorteaz Tua (Waipukurau) 6m 39.58s, 42.979pts, 3; Bridee Wilkinson (Wyndham) 4m 39.11s, 49.956pts, 4; Wilfred Morgan (Oamaru) 3m 18.94s, 55.947pts, 5; Ashley Clarke (Roxburgh) 4m 29.84s, 58.492pts, 6.
Open blades final (5 sheep): Allan Oldfield (Geraldine) 13m 32.2s, 50.61pts, 1; Scott McKay (Clarence) 14m 13.22s, 52.861pts, 2; Tony Dobbs (Fairlie) 15m 3.22s, 52.961pts, 3; Mike McConnell (Christchurch) 14m 52.34s, 53.017pts, 4; Johnathon Dalla (South Australia) 16m 32.47s, 59.824pts, 5; Phil Oldfield (Geraldine) 16m 39.5s, 59.975pts, 6.
Intermediate blades final (2 sheep): Simon Rouanet (Albine, France) 13m 55.22s, 53.261pts, 1; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 13m 66.97s, 53.349pts, 2; Shun Oishi (Japan) 13m 14.88s, 58.744pts, 3; Gonzalo Olivares (Santiago, Chile) 13m 2.86s, 63.643pts, 4; John O’Connell (Ireland) 12m 57.39s, 65.87pts, 5; Shaun Burgess (Rakaia) 11m 42.31s, 69.616pts, 6.
New Zealand Winter Comb Championships:
Open final (10 sheep): Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 21m 10.72s, 83.036pts, 1; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 20m 15.31s, 83.266pts, 2; Colin O’Neil (Alexandra) 21m 28.16s, 84.908pts, 3; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 20m 28.45s, 88.023pts, 4; Justin Meikle (Oamaru) 18m 47.03s, 88.552pts, 5; Duncan Leslie (Alexandra) 22m 17.97s, 89.499pts, 6.
Senior final (5 sheep): Taelor Tarrant (Taumarunui) 13m 30.72s, 69.536pts, 1; Stacey Whitu (Roxburgh) 14m 36.03s, 73.202pts, 2; Dre Roberts (Mataura) 15m 51.14s, 76.357pts, 3; Cody Waihape (Gore) 15m 31.86s, 78.59pts, 4; Levi Uluakiahoia 16m 42.41s, 80.721pts, 5; Emma Martin (Gore) 20m 13.81s, 87.291pts, 6.
Speed shears:
Open: Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti); Senior, Dre Roberts (Mataura); Clean shear, Jodiesha Kirkpatrick (Gisborne).
Woolhandling:
Open final (3 fleeces): Pagan Rimene (Alexandra) 93.15pts, 1; Joel Henare (Motueka) 119.862pts, 2; Nya Kerekere (Gisborne) 180.538pts, 3; Kelly McDonald (Waimate) 209.268pts, 4.
Senior final (2 fleeces): Tre Ratana Sciascia (Taihape) 101.082pts, 1; Lucy Elers (Mataura) 144.488pts, 2; Ashley Clarke (Gore) 158.41pts, 3; Kimberly Ward (Australia) 188.93pts, 4.
Junior final (2 fleeces): Jorjah Mason (Masterton) 140pts, 1; Tahli Nelson (Alexandra) 161.56spts, 2; Chevy Menzies (Cromwell) 197.78pts, 3; Legacy Hiroti (Raetihi) 421.69pts, 4.
Veterans: Vanessa Dennison (Kurow) 73.844pts, 1; Rhonda Wakefield (Rakaia) 81.63pts, 2; Dayna Te Aho (Milton) 100.13pts, 3; Keith Adams (Waimate) 103.75pts, 4.
South Island Woolhandling Circuit:
Open final (4 fleeces): Joel Henare (Motueka) 70.744pts, 1; Taiwha Nelson (Alexandra) 87.514pts, 2; Amy Ferguson (Alexandra) 98.006pt, 3; Foonie Waihape (Alexandra) 109.87pts, 4.
Shearing and woolandling teams event: Kurow 83 Justin Meikle/Tye Meikle, Vanessa McAllister/Zoe Meikle), 78.122pts, 1; PLS All Day (David Gordon/Cody Waihape, Amy Ferguson/Kimberly Ward) 93.39pts, 2; Pro Shear (Taare Edwards/Caleb Brooking, Jess Toa/Tessa Kirdy) 121.447pts, 3.
