Shearers and woolhandlers will flock to Alexandra when the NZ Merino Shearing and Woolhandling Championships returns this weekend.

Now in its 62nd year, the event, taking place at Molyneux Stadium from September 29-30, is the only national merino shearing woolhandling championship and the first held each season. 

This year is the 51st year of the McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown trophy, launched in Alexandra in 1972-1973, and ending at the Golden Shears in Masterton.

The purpose of the crown is to find the country’s top shearer across all six types of sheep on the national circuit of events.

New Zealand Merino Shearing Society president Lane McSkimming said for the second year running an indigenous team from Australia was participating.

“They’re coming back with a bigger contingent than last year . . . including an elder and their CEO. 

Last year Daniel McIntyre, an Australian, took the open shearing title and the indigenous team beat the NZ Merino shears invitational team.

Lane said competition would be tight between the trans-Tasman rivals again.

“Locals to watch for include last years runner up Stacey Te Huia, also Mouse O’Neill, Dion Morrell and plenty of other locals in the younger grades too.”

Excitement was building for entrants and friends and family support crews. 

This year representatives from the Dunstan Kahui Ako Kapa Haka group will perform at about 6.30pm on Saturday. 

“I saw them on Saturday at Blossom Festival and I am thrilled to have around 20 or 30 from this kapa haka group be a part of our event.”

Maori TV and Ngai Tahu representatives are also expected to attend.

The weekend is merino and the ‘fine wool’ stage, the first on the circuit.  

Merino sheep being mustered at Northburn Station for the NZ Merino and Woolhandling Championships. PHOTO: Supplied 

Other renown names appearing include Sam Te Whata, returning with an indigenous shearing team based in Dubbo, New South Wales, and last year's open woolhandling winner Masterton’s Cushla Abraham.

Woolhandling winner in 2022 Cushla Abraham. PHOTO: PGG Wrightson

A food van from Invercargill ‘Uncles’ would be offering kai including hangi meals.

Lane said with it being the school holidays families and children could attend on the Friday, when they usually would be at school.

The weekend’s action includes open and senior shearing; open, senior, junior and novice woolhandling; teams event; Smokefree teddy bear shear and NZ Merino Shears team versus First Nation Indigenous team event.

Spectators are welcome to attend: Friday’s events start at 8am and there is no cover charge for Friday, Friday night or Saturday.

The highlight will be the NZ Merino Open Shearing and Woolhandling finals and the teams finals, after the president's welcome on Saturday evening from 7pm. The door charge for Saturday night is $10 (children are free).

The winners of the open woolhandling and open shearing (or best New Zealanders if won by an Australian) will be a part of the 2023-2024 New Zealand trans-Tasman series team (the first test in the series is in Jamestown, South Australia, October 20).

The PGG Wrightson and Vetmed National Shearing circuit incorporates five qualifying rounds, at five venues, with the top 12 shearers contesting the semi-finals and final at the Golden Shears (February 29 - March 2).

Three pre-Christmas rounds are in the South Island, following Alexandra, with the other two being the crossbreds round at the Waimate Shears (October 6-7) and the halfbreds round at the New Zealand Corriedales Championships in Christchurch (November 16-17).

The series resumes in the new year with lamb shearing at the Rangitikei Shearing Sports in Marton (February 3), and the second-shear phase will complete the qualifying phase at the Pahiatua Shears (February 25).

Shearing Sports New Zealand media officer Doug Laing said so far 20 shearers had entered the circuit so far, and it was normally about 25 to 30.

There are 60 shows on the shearing calendar this season, which finishes at the New Zealand Shears in Te Kuiti on April 4-6.