Two-times National Shearing Circuit champion Nathan Stratford has set sail for a possible 20th final in the annual all-breeds championship with maximum points in the first three rounds of the 2023-2024 PGG Wrightson/Vetmed series.

The Southland gun first reached the final in 2000, when it was won by David Fagan, one of the record 9 National Shearing Circuit wins in a global career resulting in a knighthood for Fagan in the 2016 New Year Honours.

Stratford won the title in 2014 and 2022, and was runner-up in 2019 and 2020, and third in 2001, 2012, 2015 and 2017.

He was fifth in last season’s 2022-2023 final in March, when the title was claimed for a third time by Marlborough shearer Angus Moore, who is not contesting the series this season.

This year there were 27 entries for the compulsory start on fine wool at the New Zealand Merino Shears on September 30 in Alexandra.

Stratford getting the 12 points as top qualifier in the heats and repeating the effort at the Waimate Spring Shears a week later.

The series continued at the New Zealand Corriedale Shearing and Woolhandling Championships  held in Christchurch on November 16-17. Stratford again scored maximum points in the PGG Wrightson/Vetmed National Shearing Circuit for the third time in the three legs to date.

 The lamb shearing round will be at the Rangitikei Shearing Sports in Marton on February 3 and the compulsory second-shear round at the Pahiatua Shears on February 25.

The top 12, based on points for placings in the heats at each show, then head for the semi-finals and final on March 2 at the Golden Shears in Masterton, where the final has been shorn almost every year since the circuit’s establishment as the McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown in 1973.

The 2021 and 2022 finals were shorn respectively at the New Zealand Shears in Te Kuiti and Armidale Station, Gimmerburn, in Central Otago, after the Golden Shears was twice cancelled because of the global pandemic.

Stratford holds the record for the most Trans-Tasman tests shorn by any New Zealand shearer - which he extended to 18 in South Australia on October 21

The 36 points already claimed by Stratford in the PGG Wrightson/Vetmed series is expected to guarantee his place in the top 12, although he still must shear at Pahiatua to be eligible.

In second place is New Zealand teammate, fellow Southland shearer and 2021 winner Leon Samuels, who won both the Merino Shears and Waimate Shears finals this season despite missing the top series points in the heats.

In third place is 2019 winner and reigning New Zealand Shears Te Kuiti circuit champion Paerata Abraham, of Masterton, and fourth is 1997 winner Dion Morrell, who bypassed the Waimate Shears after claiming 11 points at his home-show in Alexandra.

It’s the 22nd season in which PGG Wrightson has been the major sponsor, dating back to 2003.

The winner becomes an automatic selection in the New Zealand Trans-Tasman series team, with the other members coming from the Merino Shears and Golden Shears Open finals.

Keep up-to-date with the National Shearing Circuit and watch the live streams via the PGG Wrightson Wool Facebook Page.

Canterbury 

Results of shearing events at the 56th anniversary Canterbury Shears’ New Zealand Corriedale Shearing and Woolhandling Championships at the New Zealand Agricultural Show, Christchurch, on Thursday-Friday November 16-17, 2023: 

Open final (12 sheep): Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 14min 46.44sec, 50.99pts, 1; Angus Moore (Seddon) 14min 13.56sec, 52.68pts, 2; Paerata Abraham (Masterton) 13min 51.46sec, 54.41pts, 3; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 14min 39.9sec, 55.51pts, 4; David Gordon (Masterton) 16min 14.63sec,59.06pts, 5; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 16min 20.94sec, 59.13pts, 6.

Open Plate (11 sheep): Taare Edwards (Rakaia) 16min 48.53sec, 61.15pts, 1; James Ruki (Te Kuiti) 16min 9.47sec, 61.75pts, 2; Adam Gordon (Masterton) 16min 2.65sec, 62.68pts, 3; Duncan Leslie (Alexandra) 16min 16.79sec, 64.38pts, 4; Lionel Taumata (Gore) 18min 24.5sec, 66.77pts, 5; Alex Smith (Rakaia) 19min 31.19sec, 70.56pts, 6.

Canterbury Circuit final (12 sheep): Hugh De Lacy (Rangiora) 16min 42sec, 59.68pts, 1; Lyall Windleburn (Rangiora) 16min 20sec, 60.17pts, 2; Shaun Burgess (Rakaia) 17min 46sec, 60.38pts, 3; Luis Pincol (Chile/Geraldine) 17min 57sec, 63.52pts, 4; Taare Edwards (Rakaia) 16min 19sec, 64.53pts, 5; Willy McSkimming (Oamaru) 16min 6sec, 66.8pts, 6.   

Senior final (10 sheep): Blake Crooks (Rangiora) 16min 2.25sec, 68.41pts, 1; Dre Roberts (Mataura) 20min 18.06sec, 74pts, 2; Alice Watson (Seddon) 20min 31.54sec, 76.28pts, 3; Hemi Paniora (Rolleston) 20min 16.57sec, 77.73pts, 4; Josh Quinn (Seddon) 16min 32.91sec, 79.25pts, 5; Aaron McGee (Ireland) 21min 1.47sec, 80.27pts, 6.

Intermediate final (6 sheep): Emma Martin (Wyndham) 15min 9.28sec, 54.8pts, 1; Cody Waihape (Gore) 14min 44.22sec, 58.71pts, 2; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora) 15min 52.09sec, 63.94pts, 3; Coby Lambert (Napier) 15min 49.93sec, 67.83pts, 4; Merlot Tupara (Gisborne/Picton) 14min 31.84sec, 68.43pts, 5; Angus Crombie (Blenheim) 16min 49.35sec, 72.3pts, 6.

Junior final (3 sheep): Jet Schimanski (Gore) 8min 19sec, 39.28pts, 1; Trae Karaka (Amberley) 9min 9sec, 52.78pts, 2; Peter Losty (Ireland) 10min 9sec, 57.78pts, 3; Kane Miles (Christchurch) 9min 43sec, 62.82pts, 4; Trace Paton (Timaru) 9min 25sec, 64.92pts, 5.   

Women (3 sheep): Emma Martin (Wyndham) 7min 44sec, 29.53pts, 1; Alice Watson (Seddon) 7min 35sec, 40.75pts, 2; Lydia Thomson (Rangiora) 9min 23sec, 43.48pts, 3; Trace Patton (Timaru) 8min 41sec, 68.38pts, 4.

Blades final (5 sheep): Tony Dobbs (Fairlie) 19min 14sec, 66.3pts, 1; Allen Gemmell (Loburn) 19min 17sec, 70.05pts, 2; Tim Hogg (Rolleston) 18min 48sec, 71.6prs, 3; Shaun Burgess (Rakaia) 19min 50sec, 82.3pts, 4; Evalyn McGregor (Glenorchy) 21min 58sec, 95.3pts, 5.

Colin King Shield (10 sheep): North Canterbury (Hugh De Lacy, Blake Crooks, Lydia Thomson, Trae Karaka) 19min 41.68sec, 73.98pts, 1; Southland (Nathan Stratford, Dre Roberts, Emma Martin, Jet Schimanski) 21min 57.28sec, 77.56pts, 2; Mid-South Canterbury (Alex Smith, James Wilson, Coby Lambert, Tracey Paton) 21min 40.78sec, 77.94pts, 3.