His wife Kristy, son Zac (8) and daughter Abby (13) were in the audience.
Pagan Karauria, of Alexandra, won the open merino woolhandling championship title for the fourth time.
She also competed in the senior shearing section.
Canterbury-based Southland shearer Troy Pyper was second and Nathan Stratford, of Invercargill, was third in the open final.
Amy Lee Ferguson, of Alexandra, placed second in the open woolhandling and Candy Hiri, of Gore, was third.
The New Zealand Merino Shearing Society hosted the woolhandling and shearing competitions at Alexandra's Molyneux Stadium on Friday and Saturday.
Fifty-nine shearers competed in two grades and 55 woolhandlers in four grades.
Society president Greg Stuart said he was pleased with the how the competition went and the numbers attending the open woolhandling and shearing finals on Saturday evening.
"It was a good turnout, and the stadium was full," he said.
Alexandra shearer Colin "Mouse" O'Neill's team won the teams event.
The senior shearing title was won by Duncan Higgins, of Havelock.
The top junior woolhandler and winner of the Joanne Kumeroa Memorial Trophy was Cheyenne Howden, of Feilding.
Sunnie Te Whare, Ohai, was second and Amber Poihipi, of Ohai, third.
The winner of the senior woolhandling final and the Buck Gloag Memorial Challenge Trophy was Aiesha Thompson, of Napier. Destiny Paikea, of Heriot, was placed second and Whati Mikaere Turipa, of Gore, third.
Mr Stuart said the shearers were judged on time, speed and quality of shearing.
"Merino shearing is more technique shearing rather than out and out speed."
Earnscleugh Station and Northburn Station supplied the sheep.
More than 100 volunteers helped organise and run the two-day competition.
Thirty-five judges as well as referees, pen judges, woolhandlers, pressers and six to eight pen boys were required for the event.
"It cost between $40,000 and $50,000 to run the competition. That is why we ask for sponsorship," Mr Stuart said.
The society also made donations to the local football and kayaking clubs, which helped dismantle the stands and flooring yesterday morning.
"A few years ago we were told by the town businesses that this [Merino Shears] weekend was more profitable to the town than the Blossom Festival weekend."
Competitors, their families and supporters, stayed in local accommodation and bought meals and shopped in town.
Shearing sports throughout New Zealand in the 2019-20 season are:
Oct 11-12: Waimate Shears New Zealand Spring Shearing Championships (shearing, woolhandling, blade shearing, PGG Wrightson National Shearing Championship round 2), Waimate.
Oct 19: Poverty Bay A&P Show (shearing, woolhandling), Gisborne; Ellesmere A&P Show, Leeston.
Oct 25: Great Raihania Shears, at the Royal New Zealand A&P Show (shearing, woolhandling), Hastings.
Oct 26: Northern A&P Show Shears (shearing, blade shearing), Rangiora.
Nov 2: Wairarapa Spring Shears, Clareville, Carterton; Ashburton A&P Show (shearing, blade shearing), Ashburton.
Nov 9: Manawatu A&P Show (shearing, woolhandling), Feilding; Marlborough A&P Show (shearing), Blenheim; Pleasant Point Gymkhana Shears (shearing), Pleasant Point.
Nov 14-15: New Zealand Corriedale Championships (shearing, woolhandling, blade shearing, PGG Wrightson National Shearing Championship round 3), NZ Agricultural Show, Christchurch.
Nov 16: Central Hawke's Bay A&P Show Shears (shearing, woolhandling), Waipukurau.
Nov 23: 125th Nelson A&P Show (shearing), Nelson; West Otago A&P Show, Tapanui.
Nov 30: Taranaki Shears (shearing), Stratford A&P Show, Stratford.
Jan 11: Peninsula Duvauchelle Shears (shearing), Akaroa.
Jan 17: Northern Southland Community Shears (shearing, woolhandling), Lumsden.
Jan 18: Kaikohe Show (shearing), Kaikohe; Wairoa A&P Show (shearing), Wairoa; Golden Bay A&P Show (shearing), Takaka; Southland Shears and NZ crossbred lambs championships (shearing, woolhandling), Winton A&P Show, Winton.
Jan 19: Horowhenua Agricultural, Pastoral and Industrial Show (shearing), Levin.
Jan 25: Taihape A&P Show (shearing, woolhandling), Taihape; Tapawera Sports Shears (shearing), Tapawera.
Jan 26: Agrodome Shears (shearing, woolhandling), Rotorua A&P Show, Ngongotaha.
Jan 31: Dannevirke A&P Show (shearing, woolhandling), Dannevirke.
Feb 1: North Kaipara A&P Show (shearing), Paparoa; Rangitikei Shearing Sports (shearing, woolhandling); PGG Wrightson National Shearing Championships round 4), Marton; Reefton Shears (shearing, blade shearing), Reefton Shears (shearing, blade shearing), Inangahua A&P Show, Reefton.
Feb 6: Aria Waitangi Day Sports (shearing, woolhandling), Aria.
Feb 8: Northern Wairoa A&P Show (shearing), Arapohue, Dargaville; Te Puke A&P Show (shearing), Te Puke; Otago Shearing and Woolhandling Championships (shearing, woolhandling), Balclutha.
Feb 14-15: Southern Shears (shearing, woolhandling), Gore.
Feb 15: North Hokianga A&P Show (shearing), Broadwood; Ohura Sports Shears (shearing), Ohura; Murchison A&P Show (shearing), Murchison.
Feb 16: Counties Shears (shearing), Franklin A&P Show, Pukekohe.
Feb 28: Taumarunui Shears (shearing, woolhandling), Taumarunui.
Feb 29: Apiti YFC Sports Shears (shearing, woolhandling), Apiti; Kaikoura A&P Show (shearing), Kaikoura.
Mar 1: Pahiatua Shears (shearing; PGG Wrightson National Shearing Championship round 5), Mangaone Valley, Pahiatua.
Mar 3: Wairarapa Pre-Shears Woolhandling Championships (woolhandlng), Riverside Farm, Mikimiki.
Mar 4-7: 60th Golden Shears International Championships (shearing, woolhandling, woolpressing), Masterton.
Mar 7: Amuri A&P Show (shearing), Rotherham.
Mar 14: Kumeu Shears (shearing), Kumeu Agricultural and Horticultural Show, Kumeu; Cheviot A&P Show (shearing, woolhandling), Cheviot; Mayfield A&P Show (shearing, blade shearing), Mayfield.
Mar 15: Sefton Sports (shearing, blade shearing), Sefton.
Mar 21: Warkworth A&P Show (shearing), Warkworth; Methven A&P Show Lambshears (shearing), Methven; Waimarino Rodeo Sports (shearing), Raetihi.
Mar 22: Flaxbourne A&P Show (shearing), Ward.
Mar 28: Waitomo Caves Shears (shearing), Waitomo.
Apr 2-4: New Zealand Shears (shearing, woolhandling), Te Kuiti.
Apr 4: Oxford A&P Show (shearing, blade shearing), Oxford.
Apr 10-11: Northern Shears (shearing), Royal Easter Show, Auckland.
Apr 13: Mackenzie Shears New Zealand Lambshearing Championships (shearing, blade shearing), Fairlie.
