Kiwis win transtasman shearing test | Otago Daily Times Online News

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More than 1500 sheep were shorn across the two-day event in which 250 competitors took part.

Entries this year were higher than usual, Waimate Spring Shears president Warren White said.

"It’s well supported, it’s good."

Leon Samuels, of Invercargill, had a fantastic two days.

He won the New Zealand Winter Comb title on Friday and backed it up with a win in the open machine-shearing grade.

Bruce Grace, of Wairoa, and Blake Mitchell won the senior and intermediate machine-shearing grades respectively.

In the wool handling events, Taiwha Nelson won the open grade while Amber Stringer Haupapa and Calder Wallace won the senior and junior grades respectively.

Gavin Mutch took out the open speed shearing on Friday night.

Waimate man Tony Chamberlain also extended his run to 49 straight events as he competed in the open machine-shearing grade.

New Zealand blade shearers Tony Dobbs (Fairlie) and Tim Hogg (Timaru) then drew a line under the success of the event by beating the Australian blade-shearing team in the first transtasman test of this year’s shearing season.

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