Central Otago’s best in the wool industry scored some impressive results in the 63rd New Zealand Merino Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in Alexandra on Saturday night. 

Four time previous winner, Central Otago shearing contractor Dion Morrell, placed third in the open shearing final behind Palmerston's Chris Vickers and Te Kuiti’s James Fagan, who placed first and second respectively.

Dion was the top qualifier from the semi final, making it in to the final for the 12th time, spanning 28 years. 

Other local hope and defending champion Roxburgh’s Leon Samuels was eliminated in the quarterfinals but recognised later in the day as the most recent person to be acclaimed a master shearer, and acknowledged by the performance of a stirring haka from the crowd.

Pagan Rimene, daughter of Dion Morrell and former Golden Shears open woolhandling champion Tina Rimene, won the open woolhandling title for the fifth time.

Central Otago woolhandler Pagan Rimene after winning her home-town open woolhandling title for a fifth time. PHOTO: Robyne Murray

Despite being last to finish the final, her expertise with the board job, oddments and fleece gave Pagan a winning margin of almost 50 points ahead of Alexandra-based Foonie Waihape.

Third was Monica Potae, of Kennedy Bay, with four-times Alexandra winner Joel Henare, of Gisborne, coming fourth.

Pagan previously won the title in 2015, 2016, 2018 and in 2019. She has earned a place in the New Zealand team to travel to Katanning, Australia but plans to be back home for main shear and a run at the New Zealand 2026 World Championships selection series. 

New Zealand Merino Shearing Society president Lane McSkimming said the event was outstanding and the stadium packed out.

“We were lucky we got to go ahead given the weather conditions last week.

“The farmer at Northburn Station, the McKnights, got 1100 sheep under cover and protected… that’s really how we managed it.”

New Zealand Merino Shears Open final winner Chris Vickers, with commentator Norm Harraway (left), gave a short speech after the final on Saturday. PHOTO: Robyne Murray.

Lane said he was thrilled to see the father and daughter combination of Dion and Pagan successful again, along with the win for “Peter Lyon Shearing straight up’’ in the teams event.

“The [winning] team was two Dion Morrell workers and two Peter Lyon workers. Two different shearing contractors… that shows the sense of community in the sport and industry.”

Lane said the support services from Uruuruwhenua Hauora were busy all weekend and the fun activities for whānau were appreciated by competitors and spectators including a bouncy castle and colouring in competitions for tamariki (children). 

West Australian shearer Danielle Mauger, who is working for Peter Lyon Shearing in her first season in the South Island, became the third woman ever to win the merino senior shearing title.

It was last won by a woman in 2013.

The first female winner was Fielding’s Jills Angus Burney in 1985, and she was in the crowd to see Danielle’s winning performance. 

Lane said it was a busy time for shearers and wool handlers with many people in Central straight back into it, including travelling to and shearing in Omarama on Monday. 

Second placed team were team Uruuruwhenua (from left) Paerata and Cushla Abraham, Uruuruwhenua kaiāwhina Amy Ferguson and husband Pete. PHOTO: NZ Merino Shearing Facebook

The championships attracted 145 entries, with 91 in the two shearing grades and 74 across the three woolhandling grades, a combined increase of 11 on last year.

It was the first of 57 shows on the 2024-2025 Shearing Sports New Zealand calendar.

The NZ Merino Shears is one of 11 stand-alone shearing sports events, the rest being mainly agricultural and pastoral show dates.

Read more: Free health services at NZ Merino Shears.