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Listen now. The Country’s Jamie Mackay is joined by PGG Wrightson’s National Dairy Sales Manager, Jamie Cunninghame, to talk about New Zealand’s livestock market.

Mackay jokes that Fielding-Manawatu is the farming capital of New Zealand. Cunninghame agrees as he is based there.

Spring is in full force in the greater Manawatu region. Cunninghame notes that feed is growing well but the wet weather continues to be of concern.

Mackay questions the nationwide demand around milking cows, and if there will be a ‘Dairy Boom’ coming.  Cunninghame answers that there are a lot of enquiries happening at the moment, and there have been a large number of clearing sales coming from Taranaki and the greater Waikato region.

These sales have been ranging from the early $2000 to the early $3000, and there have been issues with supply and demand, particularly through late autumn and winter.

The Dairy-Beef sales have started in Waikato despite being in Level 3 lockdown. Cunninghame adds that despite the levels, sales are going ahead on the auction platform Bidr.

Mackay asks what “Defer a Bull” is. Cunninghame explains that it is a service provided by PGG which assists farmers in their need for bull livestock.

A vehicle up for grabs in New Zealand’s top all-breeds shearing competition could be clocking-up the kilometres big-time if early-season form is maintained through to its final at the 2022 Golden Shears.

Heading the PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit leaderboard is Invercargill shearer Nathan Stratford, with maximum points from the first two rounds as 23 shearers chase the ultimate prize, including a year’s lease of a four-wheel-drive Hyundai Santa Fe.

The 24 points, from the Open heats at the New Zealand Merino Shears at Alexandra on October 2 and the Waimate Shears last Saturday, he’s already secured enough for a place in the five-round series’ top 12, who will shear in the semi-finals on March 5, after a place in the six-man final a few hours later.

Leading the series through the opening rounds is not an uncommon position for the Southlander, but despite having shorn in 17 of the circuit’s 49 finals dating back to millennium year 2000, he has won the title just once – in 2014.

He was runner-up in 2019 and 2020, and third in 2001, 2012, 2015 and 2017, and has been the master performer on the merino finewool, with five wins in the Alexandra event, and the crossbred longwool with 10 wins at Waimate.

The series continues with the corriedale round at the Canterbury Shears in Christchurch on November 12, the lambshear at the Rangitikei Shearing Sports in Marton on February 5 and the second-shear of the Pahiatua Shears on February.

All five types will be shorn in what will be the 50^th  final of a series founded as the McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown in 1972-1973.

Stratford is one of three former winners in the 2021-2022 series and in the current top 12.

Fellow Invercargill shearer Leon Samuels, who won last season’s held in Te Kuiti after the cancellation of the Golden Shears, climbed to third place with second-best points in Waimate, before winning the show’s final, and 2019 winner Paerata Abraham, of Masterton, is in 10^th place.

The series final has been the South Island’s most successful of the shearing events at the Golden Shears, with 23 wins since Colin Gibson, of Oamaru, won in 1977.

It was the first of five consecutive southern triumphs, being followed by South Canterbury shearers Adrian Cox and Kevin Walsh winning in 1978 and 1979 respectively, the great Brian “Snow” Quinn, of Alexandra, in 1980, and Cox’s second win in 1981.

Steve Dodds, of Riversdale, won in 1985, Edsel Forde, of Orepuki won three times consecutively in 1989-1990, Central Otago shearer Dion Morrell won in 1997, and Forde’s brother, Darin Forde, won four times, in 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2004.

Rakaia shearer Tony Coster won five times, becoming the first Hyundai Santa Fe prize-winner during his 2009-2011 reign and winning again in 2015 and 2016, while Marlborough shearer Angus Moore won in 2012 and 2020.

The most wins remains the nine by Te Kuiti shearer David Fagan between 1986 and 2008.

Placings and points in the 2021-2022 PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit after two rounds:

• 1 - Nathan Stratford (Invercargill), 24pts.
• 2 - Ethan Pankhurst (Masterton), 20pts
• 3 - Leon Samuels (Invercargill), 16pts.
• 4 - David Gordon (Masterton), 13pts.
• 5 - Troy Pyper (Cheviot), 12pts.
• 6 equal: Casey Bailey (Riverton), Alex Smith(Rakai), 10pts.
• 8 equal: Brett Roberts (Mataura), Hugh De Lacy(Parnassus), 9pts.
• 10 - Paerata Abraham (Masterton), 8pts.
• 11 - Ringakaha Paewai (Gore), 7pts.
• 12 equal: Lionel Taumata (Gore), Jack Fagan(Te Kuiti), 6pts..
• 14 - Jimmy Samuels (Marton), 5pts.
• 15 equal: Aaron Haynes (Palmerston North), Matene Mason(Masterton), 4pts.
• 17- Hemi Braddick (Eketahuna), 3pts.
• 18 equal: Duncan Higgins (Blenheim), Paul Hodges (Geraldine), Willy McSkimming (Oamaru), James Ruki (Te Kuiti), Phil Wedd (Silverrdale), 2pts.
• 23 - Beau Guelfi (Gisborne), 1pt.        .

The mighty southern men of shearing stepped-up yet again to take the first three placings in the New Zealand Spring Shears Open crossbred fullwool shearing championship final in Waimate on Saturday.

The six-man final over 16 sheep each was won by Invercargill shearer Leon Samuels, beating surprise runner-up Casey Bailey, of Riverton, by less than seven-tenths of a point, with almost a point back to third placegetter, Invercargill shearer and 10-times event winner Nathan Stratford, who a week earlier in Alexandra won the season-opening New Zealand Merino Shears Open title for a fifth time.  Waikaka shearer Braydon Clifford added to the success by winning the Senior final, while on the opening day of the championships on Friday former Invercargill shearer Troy Pyper, now based in North Canterbury, successfully defended the New Zealand Winter-comb title on Merinos.

It wasn’t just the blokes flying the flag for the south. Former Golden Shears Senior woolhandling champion Amber Poihipi, of Ohai, also in Southland, claimed a double triumph with wins in Spring Shears and South Island Woolhandling Circuit Senior finals on Friday, confirming she will graduate to Open class by next season.  

It was Pyper who made the pace in Saturday’s Spring Shears Open shearing final, in which he was the only shearer to average under a minute a sheep and finished in 15min 39.15sec.
Samuels was next 35 seconds later but was able to pull-back the time-points deficit with the best points for the board job, and third-best in the pens.

It was his first win in the event in which he was third in both 2019 and 2020, and maintained the form which produced wins in both national all-breeds circuit finals in Te Kuiti last April.  It was a disaster first South Island final for Gisborne shearer Tama Nia.  Nia who was making good progress midway through the showdown when a sheep kicked the handpiece into his face, causing a cut requiring several stitches and forcing his withdrawal from the race.

The heats on Saturday constituted the second round of the new season’s PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit in which both Stratford and Samuels are near certain finals qualifiers after just two of the five qualifying rounds.  Fairlie’s Tony Dobbs won the Open Bladeshearing title, returning to the stage where he last year reached the unprecedented milestone of 100 bladeshearing winslast year he completed a century of wins.  There was a big upset in the Senior winter-comb final on Friday, with winner Russell Ratima, from Aria in the central North Island, and Alex Clapham, from Yorkshire, England, having almost no competition history in New Zealand between them.  Ratima had failed to make it past the Senior heats in Alexandra the previous weekend but won on Friday by a wide margin of more than 12pts.  He and Clapham graduated from the bottom half of the 12 semi-final qualifiers at Waimate and were the last two into the six-man final amid the exit of Alexandra winner Scott Cameron, who had been the top qualifier in the heats.

In New Zealand about two years ago and living in Roxburgh, Clapham confirmed it had been his first competition downunder and described it as part of “living the dream out here in New Zealand.” 
Masterton’s Matene Mason won the Open Novice shearing final, for Open-class shearers who have otherwise not won an Open title, North Canterbury shearer 2020-2021 No-1 ranked junior Reuben King won his first Intermediate shear title, and the Junior final was won by Jack Pringle, of Balclutha.

Joel Henare, of Gisborne, added the Open woolhandling title to that he won at Alexandra a week earlier, while Pagan Karauria, of Alexandra, won the South Island Open woolhandling circuit final.
Maraea Iwikau, of Taumarunui, won the Spring Shears Junior woolhandling title, and the junior circuit fibal was won by Emma Martin, of Gore. 

It was a busy two days, with 150 competitors and 18 events decided in the conditions of the Covid-19 Delta Alert.

Waimate Shears’ New Zealand Spring Shearing and Woolhandling Championships at Waimate on Saturday on October 8-9, 2021

Open final (16 sheep): Leon Samuels (Invercargill) 16min 15.1sec, 56.3175pts, 1; Casey Bailey (Riverton) 16min 48.94sec, 57.0095pts, 2; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 17min 12.6sec, 58.005pts, 3; Troy Pyper (Invercargill) 15min 39.15sec, 58.395pts, 4; Hugh De Lacy (Parnassus) 16min 20.5sec, 66.2125pts, 5; Tama Niania (Gisborne) 6.

Open Novice (10 sheep): Matene Mason (Masterton) 11min 55.04sec, 40.252pts, 1; Lionel Taumata (Gore) 12min 17.57sec, 41.0785pts, 2; David Gordon (Masterton) 10min 14.42sec, 41.521pts, 3; Jimmy Samuels (Marton) 9min 25.03sec, 42.6515pts, 4; Corey Smith (Waimate) 11min 37.09sec, 48.5545pts, 5; Alex Smith (Rakaia) 14min 56.19sec, 48.9095pts, 6.

Senior final (8 sheep): Braydon Clifford (Waikaka) 10min 37.09sec, 38.2295pts, 1; Taare Edwards (Ashburton) 12min 3.72sec, 42.436pts, 2; Tyson Crown (Mataura) 11min 47.62sec, 43.131pts, 3; Josef Winders (Rotorua) 10min 36.27sec, 43.8135pts, 4; Chris Malcolm (Winton) 11min 24.32sec, 44.716pts, 5; Jason White (Waimate) 12min 28.43sec, 46.1715pts, 6.

Intermediate final (5 sheep): Reuben King (Rangiora) 9min 12.71sec, 36.6355pts, 1; Blake Crooks (Timaru) 9min 4.97sec, 37.4485pts, 2; Chase Rattray (Ashburton) 9min 39.66sec, 40.783pts, 3; Jordan White (Balclutha) 9min 7.73sec, 43.7865pts, 4; James Wilson (Winton) 8min 20.26sec, 44.413pts, 5; Tes Paewai (Wales) 9min 39.19sec, 47.3595pts, 6.

Junior final (3 sheep): Jack Pringle (Balclutha) 6min 41.97sec, 26.4318pts, 1; Josh Devane (Taihape) 6min 38.78sec, 26.6057pts, 2; Lachie Crafar (Rangiwahia) 8min 0.16sec, 31.31453pts, 3; Mark Calder (Balclutha) 6min 37.5sec, 32.5417pts, 4; Emma Martin (Gore) 8min 38.67sec, 39.6002pts, 5; Tyrell Rakete-Miller (Invercargill) 6min 25.25sec, 49.2625pts, 6.

Novice (1 sheep): Molly Clayton (Waimate) 4min 17.85sec, 23.879pts, 1; Jess-Rose Toa (Ashburton) 5min 17.7sec, 39.885pts, 2; Dre Roberts (Mataura) 4min 3.62sec, 41.181pts, 3; Toni Ditmer (Rangiora) 5min 20.06sec, 57.003pts, 4; Shorty (Gisborne) 3min 27.34sec, 80.367pts, 5.

Women (2 sheep): Sarah Hewson (Blenheim) 3min 46.97sec, 17.3485pts, 1; Tes Paewai (Wales) 3min 52.59sec, 19.1295pts, 2; Pagan Karauria (Alexandra) 4min 1.78sec, 21.089pts, 3; Emily Te Kapa (Scotland) 4min 18.79sec, 24.9395pts, 4; Jills Angus Burney (Masterton) 3min 37.41sec, 25.8705pts, 5; Emma Martin (Gore) 6min 26sec, 53.55pts, 6.   

Open blades (4 sheep): Tony Dobbs (Fairlie) 13min 52.65sec, 51.6325pts, 1; Phil Oldfield (Geraldine) 15min 54.94sec, 57.747pts, 2; Noel Handley (Rangiora) 12min 5.6sec, 58.28pts, 3; Allan

Butcher (Waimate) 17min 55.45sec, 69.5225pts, 4; Jordan White (Balclutha) 18min 31.94sec, 82.597pts, 5.

Intermediate blades (2 sheep): Aku Waihape (Pleasant Point) 8min 45.31sec, 43.7655pts, 1; Wendy Parsons (-) 8min 57.13sec, 51.3565pts, 2; Shaun Burgess (Rakaia) 12min 19.67sec, 58.4835pts, 3; Evelyn McGregor-Koch (Glenorchy) 11min 34.93sec, 63.2465pts, 4; Jills Angus Burney (Masterton) 14min 27.01sec, 64.8505pts, 5; Ruby Stone (Waimate) 12min 6.65sec, 71.3325pts, 6.

Women’s Invitation Blades: Wendy Parsons (-) 4min 19.37sec, 33.9685pts, 1; Jills Angus Burney (Masterton) 8min 13.75sec, 54.6875pts, 2; Evelyn McGregor-Koch (Glenorchy) 5min 44.13sec, 71.2065pts, 3; Ruby Stone (Waimate) 5min 5.55sec, 72.2775pts, 4.  

New Zealand Winter Comb Shearing Championships: 

Open final (10 sheep): Troy Pyper (Cheviot) 19min 13.78sec, 75.589pts, 1; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 21min 19.11sec, 76.6555pts, 2; Stacey Te Huia (Alexandra) 19min 42sec, 80.5pts, 3; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 20min 55.34sec, 85.867pts, 4; Jocky O’Neill (Alexandra) 21min 21.39sec, 91.7695pts, 5; Ant Frew (Pleasant Point) 21min 17.87sec, 97.0935pts, 6.

Senior final (5 sheep): Russell Ratima (Aria) 12min 54.21sec, 67.1105pts, 1; Alex Clapham (Yorkshire, England) 15min 15.77sec, 79.7885pts, 2; Hohepa Te Rata-Taituha (Taumarunui) 11min 55.49sec, 85.5745pts, 3; Pagan Karauria (Alexandra) 16min 34.57sec, 87.9285pts, 4; Taare Edwards (Ashburton) 14min 26.46sec, 90.323pts, 5; Tyson Crown (Mataura) 15min 22.31sec, 107.3155pts, 6.

Woolhandling:

Open final: Joel Henare (Gisborne) 92.70pts, 1; Pagan Karauria (Alexandra) 124.14pts, 2; Tia Potae (Milton) 126.07pts, 3; Cheri Peterson (Milton) 146.412pts, 4.

Senior final: Amber Poihipi (Ohai) 98.57pts, 1; Heaven Little (Alexandra) 113.764pts, 2; Charlotte Stuart (Omarama) 125.3pts, 3; Destiny Paikea (Heriot) 147.66pts, 4.   

Junior final: Maraea Iwikau (Taumarunui) 95.99pts, 1; Tatuana Keefe (Raupunga) 117.06pts, 2; Lea Brabant (Germany) 132.69pts, 3; Jess-Rose Toa (Ashburton) 143.19pts, 4.

South Island Woolhandling Circuit:

Open final: Pagan Karauria (Alexandra) 40.314pts, 1; Keryn Herbert (Te Kuiti) 67.218pts, 2; Cany Hiri (Mataura) 72.988pts, 3; Kelly McDonald (Lake Hawea) 88.828pts, 4.

Senior final: Amber Poihipi (Ohai) 60.402pts, 1; Sarah Davis (Rerewhakaaitu) 62.494pts, 2; Heaven Little (Alexandra) 80.034pts, 3.

Junior final: Emma Martin (Gore) 70.294pts, 1; Charis Morrell (Alexandra) 70.85pts, 2; Brittany Kellet (Ashburton) 76.944pts, 3; Ani Mason (Prebbleton) 90.72pts, 4.