Close tussle in Caltex open shearing circuit

Press, 12 November 1985, Page 39

Close tussle in Caltex open shearing circuit

Most of New Zealand’s fastest machine shearers will be competing in shearing events at the Canterbury show on Thursday. The show contains the third leg of the Caltex national shearing circuit and shearers must compete in all five legs to qualify for the final at the Golden Shears in Masterton.

The final includes a first prize of a trip to England or possibly the United States. Because only six shearers will make the final, the qualifying legs contain a lot of tension as the shearers struggle for position. Less than seven points separate the top nine shearers after the Alexandra and Waimate legs, and the leading bunch of three shearers is separated by just half a point.

The Canterbury leg will be held in conjunction with the New Zealand Open Corriedale Championship. The previous legs involved Merinos at Alexandra and Romneys at Waimate.

Lambs will be shorn in the fourth leg at Raglan and second-shear crossbreds at Pahiatua. The final at Masterton will be a stiff test of the all-round ability of the shearers as they will have to shear Merinos, Romneys and lambs. North Island shearers have set the pace in the early rounds, and the circuit is at present led by the consistent Taumarunui shearer, Alan Donaldson. Samson Te Whata, Gisborne, and David Fagan, Te Kujti, narrowly head the leading South Island shearer, the steady and experienced

Adrian Cox, of Levels. Ricky Pivac, of Carterton, another top contender for honours, is lying eighth, just ahead of Dave Burnett, of West Melton, who did well at last year’s Canterbury event to finish fourth. The over-all winner of the Caltex last season was Stephen Dodds, of Riversdale, who has recently returned from a trip overseas

and will again be competing at Canterbury. The points for leading shearers in the Caltex open are: Alan Donaldson, 68.250; Samson Te Whata, 68.493; David Fagan, 68.921; Adrian Cox, 70.818; Johan Fagan (Te Kuiti), 71.095; CoUn Quinn (Alexandra), 72.678; John Mulholland (Ranfurly), 73.405; Ricky Pivac, 73.619; Dave Burnett, 74.957.