Karauria comes home world champion

Alexandra woolhandler and shearer Pagan Karauria in action at the Golden Shears World Shearing...
Alexandra woolhandler and shearer Pagan Karauria in action at the Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships at Le Dorat, France. PHOTO: WORLD SHEARING AND WOOLHANDLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Alexandra's Pagan Karauria is a world champion.

Karauria and Sheree Alabaster, of Taihape, won the teams woolhandling final at the world championships in Le Dorat, France, following in the footsteps of Joel Henare and Maryanne Baty, who won the title two years ago in Invercargill.

Karauria was third in the individual final, won by Aled Jones, of Wales, and Alabaster was fourth.

Karauria also won the All Nations woolhandling open final.

The New Zealand contingent dominated the last day of the championships, winning three of the six titles.

Canterbury blade shearers Allan Oldfield and Tony Dobbs scored a double, causing a boilover by beating previous regular champions South Africa in the teams final and then finishing first and fourth respectively in the individual championship, Oldfield beating defending champion Mayenseke Shweni.

It was only the third time since the first world championships were held in 1977 that New Zealand had not won either of the two machine shearing titles.

Hawke's Bay shearers Rowland Smith and Cam Ferguson were third in the teams event, won by Scottish shearers Gavin Mutch and Calum Shaw, and second and third respectively in the individual event, won by Richard Jones of Wales.

The teams event was a big moment for Scotland, which will host the next championships at the 20th anniversary Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh in 2022.

New Zealand team manager Ken Payne, of Balclutha, said those who worked in the woolsheds in New Zealand were used to tough conditions, but the conditions of the competition in France tested them further.

"Although New Zealand had won four titles in Invercargill two years ago, there were no foregone conclusions about this trip. We always knew the different sheep breeds and types of wool would be a challenge, then there was the heat wave across Europe.

"There were long days, up at 6am and not home before 10pm, and I think everyone had difficulty sleeping, because of the heat. It was 32deg [Celsius] at 1am on our first night," Mr Payne said.

-By Doug Laing

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