Mrs Karauria, who is married to fellow shearer Thomas Karauria, has been involved with the industry all her life, as her father is top shearer and shearing contractor Dion Morrell, of Alexandra, and her mother, Tina Rimene, is also a top woolhandler.
She talked to Southern Rural Life recently after returning from a day off, spending it fishing with her woolhandling mentor Joel Henare, formerly of Dunedin and now based in Motueka, who placed third in the same competition, and runner-up Monica Potae, of Milton.
''My dad was over the moon when I won,'' she said. ''He has mentored me from the start and Joel helped me for the past 12 months, and his experience has been invaluable.
''Joel's been mentoring me on how to prepare better for finals, better ways to do things.
''He's been really good, pretty much stripping my performances apart, and telling me where I go wrong.''
She said in addition to the physical preparation, she also used visualisation techniques to prepare herself mentally.
''I haven't been competing in shearing for the past couple of months but was focusing on woolhandling.''
At 29, she has been woolhandling since she left school at 16, and has been shearing since 2011.
However, a broken back from a van accident in 2008 took her five years to recover from, while another, more recent, accident left her with whiplash and compressed discs in her neck.
''The next six months there are no competitions, so I will focus on recovering.''
She intends to take a break from shearing but will be cooking for the gangs, something she also enjoys.
''I have done it before and am pretty good at it.''
She loves working in the industry.
''I love physical work and working with all my mates.
''I have shorn in Australia and around New Zealand and hope to go to Europe next year.''
Her husband Thomas supports her goals.
''The Auckland win is my 15th open win,'' Mrs Karauria said.
''I won my first open in 2006 and it has taken me 12 years to reach 15.''
She was runner-up to Mr Henare at the New Zealand Merino Championships in Alexandra last October, and also at the New Zealand Woolhandler of the Year final at Balclutha last month and the Golden Shears in March.
She also competed in the New Zealand championships in Te Kuiti last week where she was placed fifth.
-By Yvonne O'Hara
