Exciting Silver Shears

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32235, 2 March 1970, Page 1

Exciting Silver Shears

Some of the best blade shearers in the South Island competed for the Silver Shears championship at Canterbury Court on Saturday and provided an interesting and exciting spectacle for the many visitors who attended during the day and evening.

The competition, held for the second year, was organised by the Lions Club of Christchurch. The Silver Shears trophy, the premier award of the competition, was won by A. Norman, of Christchurch, in the top photograph. A. McDonald, of Oxford, was second, D. L. Hammond, of Riccarton, third, and P. Karaitiana, of Woodend. fourth. In the machine shearing competition. J. Pekapa (Temuka), in the bottom photograph, took the championship. The shearing and wool-handling event was won by the team led by .1. McCone (Oamaru). The proceeds from the competition will go towards the replacement cost of a new vehicle for the St lohn Ambulance Association but the amount raised will not be known for a few days. Twenty-two blade shearers competed for the Silver Shears trophy and there was a field of 20 in the machine shearing event.' Ten teams entered for the shearing and woolhandling event. Mr Ivan Bowen, of the NewZealand Wool Board, who compered the competitions, said that blade shearing was far from a dying art. It was a verynecessary skill in the South Island where sheep ran up to the snow line and machine shearing was too close. When presenting the prizes, the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr A. R. Guthrey) said he hoped that the event would become a regular feature It helped a worth-while cause and at the same time demonstrated skills so necessary to the primary industry of New Zealand. The most popular feature of the programme was the shearing demonstration given by 11-year-old Nuku Smiler, of Gis- . borne, in the afternoon ‘and evening This Maori lad. only 4ft 54in in height. recently shore 100 Romney lambs in 6J hours. He will compete at * Masterton in the Golden Shears junior chatopionship event. The twd-tooths he shore on Saturday were almost as big .as he was. In an unscheduled item on the programme he presented a Maori carving to the Lions Club, and a carved Maori spear to the president of the club (Mr W M Tolertoni, with whom he has been staying during his visit to Christchurch.

A mannequin display ui woollen garments from the Wool Board was held on Saturday night Entertainment was provided by “The Drifters” and a Maori dance-group Two hundred and ten Korn ney sheep from the Templetofi Farm of the Agriculture Department and 225 Corriedales from the Kirwee farm of Mr B. Begg were brought forward for shearing. Canterbury Court was staffed by 55 members of the Lions Club and the wives of 20 members. There were 17 judges, 18 sheep and wool handlers and 20 members of the St John Ambulance Association on duty. A prize of a 12-day trip for two persons to Sydney went to the winner of the Silver Shears trophy, and prizes of SBO. S4O and S2O were gained by the other place winners. The win ner of the machine shearing title received a certificate entitling him to a seven-day tour of the South Island for two persons, and prizes of SBO. $4O and S2O were awarded for the other placings. Members of the winning team in the shearing and wool handling event received a wrist watch, and the runners-up an electric razor. All prizes were sponsored by travel and business firms. The results of the competitions were as follows: Silver Shears Championship—A. Norman (Christchurch) I: A. McDonald I (Oxford) 2, D. L. Hammond (Riccarton) 3. P Karaitiana (Woodend) 4. Machine Shearing Championship—J. Pekapa (Temuka) 1, S. G. Ryan (Pleasant Point) 2, D. Bishell (Dunsandel) 3. R.i F. Gould (PleasantPoint) 4. Shearing and Wool Handling— J. McCone (Oamaru) with C. Gibson, shearer, and D. Pringle and R. Ewing handlers 1; R. Barnes (Hawarden) with M. Morgan, shearer, and W. Power and D. Butt, handlers 2.