Friday February 29 2008-02-29

AUSSIE Shearing Captain Jason Wingfield shows off his fast-fleecing skills at the world’s greatest shearing contest today.
Wingfield, 33, from near Ballarat in Victoria, didn’t make the final of the Golden Shears Open Shearing Event but goes head to head with a New Zealand shearing side in the Trans-Tasman shearing test tomorrow.
The Wallaby team also includes crack shearer and current Shearing World Champ Shannon Warnest along with Western Australian shearer Beau Guelfi.
Wingfield said his team was looking forward to the encounter.
“We always carry a bit of confidence in. Beating New Zealand on their home turf is a good challenge. It’s the old NZ/Australia rivalry. You don’t hold back, you give 110 percent.”
The shearers who compete in the test also have their work cut out for them if then competing in the finals of the Open.
“They shear the test and then they’ve got to go and shear 20 sheep in the final,” Wingfield said.
It’s Wingfield’s fourth appearance in Masterton for the Australian team and he said the Golden Shears was the toughest shearing contest for individual shearers on the circuit.
“There is a lot more pressure here. It’s not the last one of the year but it’s the one to win.”
He said the two-women Australian woolhandling team will also be looking for a win against the Kiwis in the Trans-Tasman Woolhandling Test tonight.
 “It’s going to be pretty tough, they’ll have to be on the top of their game,” he said.
The same Australian Team of shearers and woolhandlers will compete at the World Shearing Champs in Norway in October.
The Golden Shears kicked off yesterday in Masterton, New Zealand, and runs to Saturday March 1.
The event sees competitors from New Zealand, Norway, Australia, the UK, Ireland, and South Africa battle it out for the top titles.

For a full programme and live video action see www.goldenshears.co.nz.

For free images or further information contact the Golden Shears Media Group at goldenshears@pete.co.nz or phone 021 488 137 or 027 5788 137. International callers phone 006421 488 137 or 006427 5788 137.