Friday 5 March, 2010 

Top 30 Shoot Out – One Step Closer to Finals

THE ATMOSPHERE was electric at the Golden Shears this evening as 30 of the world’s most skilful shearers fought tooth and nail for a place in the top 12 to go through to tomorrow’s open shearing finals.

The War Memorial Stadium reverberated with cheers as competitors made their way through the crowd and up onto the shearing board, each one with brows furrowed in concentration, waiting for the word to fire into action.

“Competitors, get set, go!”

In the flash of an eye each contestant had a sheep in their grip, handpieces working like warm knives through butter as wool was shed at lightening speed. 

The old names in shearing, including reigning champion David Fagan and two-time former champion John Kirkpatrick, were met with fierce competition by shearers who’ve been battling for the champion title for years and other fresher faces, new to the Opens.

Three women, Emily Welch, Jills Angus Burney and Una Cameron, had been among the 107 entrants in the event with Una making history by becoming the first female ever to have made it into the top 30 shoot out. 

By the end of this evening and after some serious entertainment, 30 shearers had been culled back to 12.

The top 12 shearers to go through to tomorrow’s open shearing semi-finals are:
Cam Ferguson, Waipawa
Dion King, Hastings
David Fagan, Te Kuiti
Dean Ball, Te Kuiti
Paul Avery, Stratford
Nathan Stratford, Invercargill
Jason Win, Ikamatua
Gavin Mutch, Whangamomona
Adam Brausch, Dannevirke
John Kirkpatrick, Napier
Jerome McCrea, Wanganui
James Fagan, Te Kuiti.

For detailed results to date visit http://www.goldenshears.co.nz/results10/index.htm

For free higher resolution images go to http://pete.co.nz/press/ at http://pete.co.nz/

For more information and specific higher resolution images contact the Golden Shears media group at goldenshears@pete.co.nz or phone 021 488 137. International callers phone 0064 21 488 137.

ENDS