SHEARING CONTEST INTRODUCED

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34105, 18 March 1976, Page 21

SHEARING CONTEST INTRODUCED

A shearing competition is to be held at the Methven show on Saturday, and it will be run along much the same lines as the Golden Shears. This is the first competition of its kind at Methven and it has brought more than 40 entrants from Rangiora to Waimate. Mr Andrew Gorman, of Methven, is organising the event and he believes some New Zealand class shearing will be seen on theday.

The competition will have five classes — open, senior, intermediate, junior and a veteran class for shearers who are over 40. The veteran class is not designed for the professional shearer, but for the average farmer who has done a bit of shearing at some stage of his life. One such start will be Methven’a A. and P.

Association vice-president (Mr D. Findlay). The shearing competition will be held on a temporary stage in the showgrounds and heats will get under way at 10 a.m. The Methven Young Farmers Club are doing all the wool handling as there will be no wool competition. The sheep to be shorn are two-tooth second shear ewes supplied by Mr G. Pagey, of Methven. Mr Ray Dunnick, a shearing instructor with the New Zea-

land Wool Board will <sm-

mentate. The competition has attracted some well-knd*n names. Peter Lyons, .of Pleasant Point, a se.Uir finalist in the Goldbn Shears open at Mastertai this year, will compete h the open class. Kevin and John Walsh from Temuks will compete in the senior class. They were finalists in the senior class at Masterton. The competition has been sponsored by local businesses.