Wakefield shearer Travers Baigent has recorded his first win of the season, successfully defending his Murchison A&P Open Shearing title on Saturday.
He won with a margin of over five points from Tākaka’s Nick Nalder, derived mainly from time penalties. Travers finished the 17-sheep showdown in 15m 45.03s and was the only one of the four finalists under a minute a sheep.
Runner-up to three-times national circuit winner Angus Moore at the Nelson show in November and to Floyd Haare in Golden Bay last month, it was his first win of the season, after four wins last season.
Despite the lower numbers entered in shows in the Nelson, Marlborough and Westland area, Baigent was the fifth different Open final winner in the six shows to date in the region this season.
Nelson nurse Kimberley Whalon continued her loyalty to the shows by winning her fourth Intermediate final of the season, having also won at Richmond, Tākaka and Reefton.
Results from the Murchison A&P Show Shears
Open final (17 sheep): Travers Baigent (Wakefield) 15m 45.03s, 56.43pts, 1; Nick Nalder (Tākaka) 187m 12.87s, 62pts, 2; Chris Jones (Blenheim) 18m 46s, 65.65pts, 3; Baden Barker (Tapawera) 20m 29.84s, 4.
Senior final (8 sheep): Timo Hicks (Tapawera) 10m 32.14s, 41.98pts, 1; Sam Hodgkinson (Tapawera) 11m 53.03s, 46.15pts, 2; Mark Rogers (Brightwater) 13m 34.67s, 50.73pts, 3; Hamish Barker (Tapawera) 11m 10.5s, 51.78pts, 4.
Intermediate final (3 sheep): Kimberley Whalon (Nelson) 7m 10.28s, 28.85pts, 1; Tom Curnow (Lake Station) 6m 8.28s, 38.08pts, 2; Pam Irvine (Tapawera) 7m 28.05s, 45.4pts, 3.
Junior final (2 sheep): Charlotte Boyce (Seddon) 6m 12.94s, 36.65pts, 1; Katie Hicks (Tapawera) 6m 3.31s, 43.17pts, 2.
Clean shear (2 sheep): Travers Baigent (Wakefield) 3pts, 1; Kimberley Whalon (Nelson) 7pts, 2; Nick Nalder (Takaka) 8.5pts, 3; Baden Barker Tapawera) 9.5pts, 4.
