All-breeds shearing circuit finals

Press, 12 November 1985, Page 38

All-breeds shearing circuit finals

Another important shearing competition at the Canterbury show will be the final of the Dalgety-Lister All-breeds Championship. In this event, which is run over a circuit of Canterbury shows, the shearers with the best combined sets of points will qualify for the final. Shearers will have to shear 10 sheep of at least four different breeds in the final which will be a true test of a shearer’s all-round ability. Some shearers are renowned for their ability at shearing fine-woolled sheep while others prefer the coarser crossbreds. The final qualifying round of the all-breeds contest will be held in conjunction with the Corriedale championships on Thursday and the all-breeds finals in three classes will be on Friday starting at 1 p.m. Shearers must accumulate points from seven shows which must include at least one set each of crossbred, Corriedale, lambs and Halfbred.

Romneys, Corriedales, Halfbreds and Coopworths will be shorn in the finals and the open event might include Merinos.

Last year’s open winner, Geoff Sutherland, Rangiora, is overseas and the frontrunner this season is John Hough, Christchurch, who was second last year. Closely behind Hough is Mervyn Davey, Temuka, David Burnett, Rangiora, Selwyn Wallace, Temuka,

Peter Burnett, Christchurch, and Doug Lister, Methven. Only 10 points separate the six top shearers. Six shearers are very close in the senior class and these are Owen Paton, Methven, Craig Dalzell, Sefton (second last year), Don Gaskell, Hawarden, Greg

Booth, Rangiora, Allan Simmons, Hawarden, and Garth Keay, Hawarden. Murray Johnstone, Oxford, has a good lead in the intermediate class, followed by Chris Smith and David Wareing. The contest has prizemoney totalling $lBOO.