Traditional welcome at Golden Shears World Championships
From a traditional pōhiri to the kilts of Scotland, the klompen of the Netherlands, to fibreglass sheep and probably the coldest evening of the week, the welcome of 27 nations to the 20 Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships took place in Whakaoriori Masterton on Tuesday.
As a precaution against the weather, the Rangitāne o Wairarapa and Ngāti Kahungunu pōhiri, the traditional welcome, was switched indoors, with about 150 competitors and officials the manuhiri as they were called on to the Masterton War Memorial Stadium as it became the marae ātea and paepae soon after 5pm.
Four kuia called-on the visitors with traditional karanga to be welcomed by local kaumatua P J Devonshire and Mike Kawana, with Ben Matthews speaking for the visitors, with waiata led by pupils of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori Wairarapa.
With mana whenua on the paepae were Golden Shears president Trish Stevens. Shearing Sports New Zealand chairman Warren Parker, and former Golden Shears president Mavis Mullins, while Golden Shears World Council chairman George Graham also spoke for the visitors.
The pōhiri ended with the traditional individual face to face hongi, and representatives of 12 nations, the most-represented since the first World Championships in 1977, then braved chilling conditions outside with a threat of rain for the unveiling of the 12 fibreglass "hipi" on the stadium reserve at the northern entrance to the heart of Masterton, each the work of individual local craftspeople and each in the colours of a different nation.
Both new Mayor Bex Johnson and lead artist Ali Gordon dedicated the artwork, Gordon saying the artists had created each with had its own story, identity and personality, in what had been a two-year project commissioned by the District Council.
George Graham said that while the championships would end on Saturday and everyone would return home, the sheep and the memories would be with Masterton forever.
The championships were officially under way soon after 7am today (Wednesday) with the first heat of the Golden Shears Novice shearing championship, with one sheep each to shear in the stadium, with Woolpressing soon afterwards.
The first World Championships rounds are on Thursday.