Shearing contest now extended

Press, 26 August 1977, Page 15

Shearing contest now extended

This year there will be an extension of the Lion ; Brown New Zealand open I all-breeds shearing coni' test. As well as the open, there will now be also | New Zealand senior and ■ intermediate championships.

This has been announced by the administrator for the titles, Mr J. B. Williams. The contests will be held at mainly shows in the area between the Rangitata river and Cook Strait.

Mr Williams says that as well as trophies there will be $1025 available as prizes for the three classes and these prizes will be presented at the Christchurch contest in November. The winner of the open wins $3OO. A number of sashes will also be presented then, and of course all this will be additional to local prize money. Lion Brown are also donating three dozen bottles of ale to be presented to the three class winners at every contest. This is worth $240.

Each of the titles will be decided on the following basis — each competitor’s best two sets of crossbred points at Reefton, Nelson, Cheviot, Ashburton and Banks Peninsula at Duvauchelle; best

two sets of Corriedale points at Sefton, Flaxbourne, Rangiora and Christchurch — all competitors must shear at Christchurch — best one set of lamb shearing points at Amuri, Murchison and Methven; and best one set of fine wool points at Rangiora and Blenheim. The titles will be decided on a straight aggregation of points without ?. final being held. Because the negotiations for the extension of the contest and the additional sponsorship for the extra two classes had covered several months, Mr Williams said that they had been unable to advise committees in time for them to cater for additional classes and therefore it might be necessary to declare a result for the extra two classes in the current year based on a lesser number of sets of points than in the formula described. The last round of last year’s all-breeds open was due to have been held in Christchurch last November but had to be cancelled on account of industrial troubles and a declared result saw in Adrian Cox, of Timaru, the winner. The New Zealand halfbred championship at Blenheim was similarly cancelled.