Proud of her rural Otago upbringing, Miss Universe New Zealand finalist Kristie Leonard put her shearing skills on display in the Octagon yesterday.
The 23-year-old Balclutha Primary School teacher ditched her silver pom-poms and swapped her Otago cheerleading uniform for shearing gear before relieving seven hoggets of their 10cm winter coats.
Miss Leonard spent two hours in central Dunedin generating support for her Miss Universe New Zealand campaign.
The 10 finalists for the national contest needed public votes to help them win and, ultimately, represent New Zealand at the Miss Universe contest in Moscow.
Miss Leonard was one of three finalists from Otago and drew a crowd of about 100 people to the Octagon from noon yesterday.
She danced with fellow cheerleaders and was supported by members of the Otago rugby team, including captain Paul Grant, who shore the first sheep.
Miss Leonard started shearing about six months ago under the direction of her father, Malcolm Leonard, who has been shearing for almost 40 years and farming near Balclutha for about 26 years.
She had shorn about 50 sheep before yesterday.
''Dad's shorn close to two million and he talks to me about 'the dance' - to remember how to do the dance and get your feet in the right position.
"I'm super-proud of him and he's super-proud of me,'' Miss Leonard said.
She was ''ecstatic'' about yesterday's event and said shearing the hoggets from her aunt and uncle's Balclutha farm was not difficult, although her father ''jumped up and showed everyone how it's really done''.
Among those watching were Miss Leonard's past and present pupils from Balclutha Primary School and Elmgrove School in Mosgiel, as well as former classmates from South Otago High School.
Other Miss Universe New Zealand finalists from Otago were also drumming up support ahead of the contest final in Auckland on October 5.
University of Otago medical student Deborah Lambie (22), of Dunedin, will speak to pupils at her former school, Columba College, this week, and her image will grace banners being put up in the city by her sponsor business.
Fellow Otago student Henali Patel (19) planned to organise a public event with friends in the next week.
