A Wyndham shearer was pleased just to make the Southern Shears finals, but then he found out he had won the title.
Nathan Bee, of Wyndham, beat a strong field to win the senior event, finishing 0.81 points ahead of second place-getter Dre Roberts, of Mataura.
The shearing and woolhandling event was held at the Gore A&P Showgrounds on Friday and Saturday.
He was not expecting the win, especially with the selection of “good sheep, bad sheep” in his pen, Mr Bee said.
“I was pretty happy to make the final for the day and then come out with the win at home in Gore is awesome.”
He is in his second year competing in the senior grade, and won one show earlier in the season.
He worked for Platinum Shearing, owned by Cody and Kayla Waihape, who encouraged their staff to enter competitions and improve their skill level.
“Everyone’s there to work and it’s a competitive environment.
“It’s awesome to have such great people around you.”
A stroppy sheep put paid to Gore shearer Emma Martin’s chances of an intermediate title at the Southern Shears.
She was the only female shearer to make a final in the intermediate grade or higher, and finished a quarter of a point behind Cody Waihape, of Mataura.
She was surprised to finish second given the trouble one of the sheep gave her.
“The hindsight looking back tells me that kicking sheep could have lost me my first place.”
She was in her third season of shearing after initially starting out as a woolhandler.
Earlier in the day she also won the women’s event.
She and Mr Waihape had had some good tussles during the season so far, she said.
When she won a competition, Mr Waihape was usually second and vice versa.
“It’s tit for tat. He’s keeping me on my toes and I would like to think I’m keeping him somewhat on his.”
She had about seven wins in her first season in the intermediate level and would compete in the senior level next season.
The open was won by Leon Samuels, of Invercargill, and the junior by Grace Schoft, of Australia.
In the woolhandling, Pagan Rimene, of Alexandra, won the open; Saskia Tuhakaraina, of Gore, the senior; and Lucy Elers, of Mataura, the junior.
Shears committee chairman Willie Hewitson said there were very good entries for the shearing competition.
“We’re probably up 15% up on what we usually are.
“It’s promising for the industry.”
It was pleasing the quality of the shearing in the junior grade was also high.
Sponsors and a team of volunteers made the event possible, he said.
