Teenager grabs a Golden Shears double

An 18-year-old from Masterton’s first family of shearing has created a new piece of Golden Shears history bv winning two Golden Shears titles within a few minutes in his home-town today.

Adam Gordon won both the shearing and the woolhandling Novice titles, the moment captured by commentator Koro Mullins soon afterwards during a live-streaming interview, saying: “I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone up here with two red ribbons before.”

He became only the second competitor to win Golden Shears titles in the separate crafts of shearing and woolhandling, but in winning the shearing final emulated the feats of sister and 2008 winner Cushla, and brother David, who won at the 50th Golden Shears in 2010.

While from a family which is shearing through-and-through, with father Nuki, sister Samantha and brother Joseph also among the more than 300 competitors at the 59th annual championships, Adam Gordon only learnt to shear at the end of last year, he said.

But he took to it quickly, and while working fulltime as a presser since leaving Wairarapa College in December, after three years in its first fifteen rugby team, he had become a favourite to win the shearing title, after winning at Apiti last Saturday.

The win, while awaiting the final result from the woolhandling final contested a short while earlier, came by the wide margin of over 14pts over runner-up Taylor Lock, of Weber. Gordon had easily the best points across time and quality.

The runner-up in the woolhandling final was Sylvia Dickson, of Eketahuna.

There’s a method to Gordon’s plan, for, like brother David, he plans to shear for a few years and then get a “trade” in building.

The championships continue tomorrow (Friday), feature the heats in the glamour Open shearing and woolhandling events, for which the finals feature on the final night on Saturday.

Adam Gordon, of Masterton, with the spoils of a history making two wins on the opening day of the 59th Golden Shears in Masterton. PHOTO/Pete Nikolaison, Golden Shears.

Adam Gordon, of Masterton, with the spoils of a history making two wins on the opening day of the 59th Golden Shears in Masterton. PHOTO/Pete Nikolaison, Golden Shears.

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