Friday, 5 March 2021, 3:38 pm
The national multibreeds shearing circuit finals, which
looked to have become a non-event this year amid the
cancellation of the Golden Shears in Masterton, will now be
held at the New Zealand Shears in Te Kuiti next
month.
The move was announced today by circuit
committee chairman Warren White, of Waimate, after agreement
was reached with Golden Shears representatives and the New
Zealand Shears which was able to consider the matter at its
regular meeting this week.
Shearing Sports New Zealand
chairman Sir David Fagan congratulated the circuit
organisers and Golden Shears and New Zealand Shears
organisers for agreeing and “making it happen.”
Golden Shears president Sam Saunders said the committee had discussed the Covid-19 situation over many months and decided the championships could not go ahead under level 2. It was the first time since the inaugural event in 1960 that it has been cancelled, but , organisers had no choice. “We do feel empty about it. Over the 60 years all the different hurdles we’ve come across at times, storms, heat waves and power cuts and stuff like that, we managed to get through, but this was beyond our control.”
PIERS FULLER/Stuff
Golden Shears president Sam Saunders at The Wool Shed shearing museum in Masterton.
SSNZA/Supplied
Napier’s Angela Stevens in the thick of the action at the end of the Āpiti open woolhandling final on Saturday.
Southland shearers who loomed as the biggest hopes for a first South Island win in the Golden Shears open final in 32 years are returning home gutted after Covid-19 stripped them of the opportunity. The end of the dream came when the 61st Golden Shears, scheduled to start in Masterton on Thursday, were cancelled after Sunday’s Covid-19 alert level increase. Southland shearers Nathan Stratford, Leon Samuels and Brett Roberts underpinned their prospects by finishing first, third and fourth, respectively, in a six-man final over 20 sheep each at the Āpiti Show in Manawatū on Saturday.
“It is not a decision made lightly by any regard,” association president Paula Bell said. “At this stage the home industries section, beef herdsperson and dairy showmanship will be held on an alternative date and place once alert level 2 restrictions are lifted. There may also be a chance for showjumping to be held at a later date,” the association says. It will still go ahead with its major fundraising raffle for the Southland Charity Hospital. On Sunday, the planned Relay for Life in Invercargill was quickly cancelled and the rest of the day was followed by more organisers announcing cancellations and postponements.
Press Release – Shearing Sports New Zealand
The 61st Golden Shears, which were scheduled to be held in Masterton this week, have been cancelled.
The decision was made at an emergency executive meeting this morning, following the overnight of announcement of a return to Covid-19 Alert Level 2 across most of the country and the escalation to Level 3 in Auckland.
Confirming the decision, Golden Shears said entry fees and tickets will be refunded.
Tickets purchased online through Eventfinda will be refunded, and people will receive an email from Eventfinda, competitor entries done on-line will be refunded online through paypal, and those having enterd non-website are being asked to email competitor name and bank account details to office@goldenshears.co.nz