“Everybody’s going to be on their A game.”
Samuels will compete in the open section with fellow Southlanders Brett Roberts, Ringakaha Paewai and Nathan Stratford. The quartet would be in a group of at least 10 Southland shearers and wool handlers at the championships.
Raised in south Waikato, Samuels moved to Invercargill 23 years ago.
“I grew up in the wool shed, and I’m still in the wool shed,” he said.
“I try to shear as much as I can ... I follow the sheep everywhere.”
Samuels has competed throughout the country this season winning four competitions, including the Otago Shears at Balclutha and Gore Southern Shears.