Top Shearing Title To North Islander

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29763, 5 March 1962, Page 14

Top Shearing Title To North Islander

•‘The Press** S MASTERTON, March 4. R. D. Macdonald, aged 34 years, of Frankton Junction, won the international machine shearing open championship at the Golden Shears international shearing championship at Masterton last night. He shore 20 Romneys in 22min 32.1 sec and won first prize of £5OO and a gold medal donated by the world shearing record-holder, Mr Godfrey Bowen. Second in the open was N. J. Ferguson (Waikato), with a time of 22min 48.8 sec, and third, A. L. Williamson (Ohakune), with 23min 56.25ec. Fourth, fifth and sixth placings were filled by C. Bosher < Otorohanga). in 23min 28.4 sec, K. Sarre (Australia), 24min 31.2 sec and S. D. Symon (Gisborne), 25min 20.6 sec. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake), presented the six prizes of £5OO, £2OO, £lOO, £5O, £3O and £2O respectively. “The shearer who helps us earn £lOO millions each year, and earns every penny he gets, has been glamourised by the Golden Shears,” said Mr Holyoake. “May it grow until it is recognised as the world shearing championship.” 385 a Day Macdonald’s highest daily shearing tally is 385 sheep. He was the New Zealand champion in 1959 and 1960, and was runner-up this season. He won the North Island championship in 1959. and the King Country championship for three consecutive years. Winner of the Golden Shears senior championship was B. Quinn, aged 21 years, of Te Kuiti, in 15min 59.25ec. J. Craddock (Matamata), 16min 17.4 sec, was second, and N Sanson (Otago). 18min 12sec third. Winners of the gold plated handpieces for gaining the most points for the quality of their shearing in the senior and open classes were S. Finlayson (Whangarei) and S. Symon (Gisborne). Manawatu shearer N. A. Churchouse. won the international contest for the most perfectly shorn pen of sheep “They can really shear,” said Kevin Sarre, of Benjercop. Victoria. Australia’s shearing champion. after New Zealanders had beaten the Australians in every major event in the championships. Sarre was on the board for every major event last night. He was placed fifth in the international open, and second in a separ-

ate international open for quality shearing. The War Memorial stadium held a capacity audience of 2500. Six hundred more watched the-contest on closed circuit television sets outside. All finalists in the international open finished within the fastest 1961 open time of 26min 54.95ec set by the former world champion, Ivan Bowen. M. Charteris, of Martinborough, won the junior championship, and was presented with the £5O prize by Mr Nelson R. Crow, leader of 70 American ranchers now touring New Zealand. Teams’ Contest First place and the prize of a trip to Australia in the Young Farmers’ Club shearing and wool handling competition went to the Wanganui team comprising P. Coleman and N. McGee (shearers) and J. Stuart and J. Orr (wool handlers). The open shearing and wool handling contest was won by the, Gisborne team of Mrs V. Edmonds and Messrs G. Baty, S. Symon, and G. Boyd. This team beat the 10 other North Island teams to win the Lister Challenge Cup, donated by Sir Percy Lister, of England. The team’s win entitles it to a trip to Australia. The South Island final of the Young Farmers’ Club and open shearing and wool handling championships will be held in Christchurch on Wednesday.