The NZ Merino Shears, which took place in Alexandra this weekend, served as a test case of how to hold such events under Covid-19 restrictions.

New Zealand Merino Shearing Championships president Greg Stuart said the competition, first held in the south in 1961, had to adapt its format to adhere to attendance limits under Level 2.

The competition is the only national merino shearing & woolhandling championship and the first compulsory round each season in the lead-up to the Golden Shears in March.

The event was cancelled last year because of the pandemic and Greg said everything had to be changed around this year.

Merinos wait their turn to be shorn in the finals of the New Zealand Merino Shears

“Over the two days on a normal year we would have both shearing and wool-handling both days, but this year, to fit everybody in within the numbers’ regulations, we split the two days into all woolhandling on the Friday, right through to presentations. Then the shearing judges and the shearers came in on the Saturday.”

Greg said the organisers had a stringent health and safety plan that was signed off on by both the council and the police, and he was very happy with the way things went.

“If we failed, that would mean there would be no shearing competitions in Level 2,” he said, “and I think we proved we can do it.”

The major titles were won by former world champions Nathan Stratford and Joel Henare, with Nathan, from Invercargill taking the New Zealand Merino Shears Open shearing title for a fifth time.

Invercargill shearer Nathan Stratford on his way to winning the New Zealand Merion Shears Open shearing title for a fifth time at Alexandra on Saturday

Joel, from Gisborne, won the Open woolhandling final for his fourth time. More than 120 shearers and woolhandlers competed, but the event was closed to the public in accordance with Covid regulations.

Nathan, who works for Mouse O’Neill Shearing in Alexandra, said the competition was a little boring without an audience present.

“It’s good to have a crowd there to provide a bit of entertainment, and to provide something for the locals who might never have seen shearing before.”

Gisborne woolhandler Joel Henare winning the New Zealand Merino Shears Open woolhandling title for a fourth time at Alexandra on Friday

Nathan gave a big shout out to his boss and ‘pen boy’ Mouse O’Neill, saying that having someone who knew when to give you the right sheep at the right time was “awesome”.

The win was celebrated with a family barbecue at the boss’s house but there was no lamb on the barbie for those who work alongside the livestock that are one of New Zealand’s primary products.

“Sausies and patties,” Nathan said, with a chuckle.

Images Barbara Newton