A who's who of the shearing industry congregated at Alexandra this week for the competition, which started yesterday morning.
Section heats, quarterfinals and semifinals took place yesterday, along with the team event heats.
Tonight, Te Kuiti shearer James Fagan will defend the open title he won for the first time last year.
His competition includes his uncle, David, who has won the Golden Shears 16 times, Rakaia shearer Tony Coster and Nathan Stratford, of Invercargill, who won the Waitaki Merino Shears open shearing title last weekend at Omarama.
Last year's open championships woolhandling winner, George Hawkins, of Martinborough, will also be defending his title.
Waitaki Shears woolhandling open winner Joel Henare, of Gisborne, is another contender for the national title, along with Alexandra shearing contractor Elsie Lyon, who made the final last year.
Tonight's programme starts at 7pm with the senior shearing final, followed by the teams final and a transtasman teams shearing challenge.
The open woolhandlers final and open shearing final will conclude competitions.
Twenty teams have entered the championships this year, compared with 12 in 2008.
Almost 200 entries from New Zealand shearers and woolhandlers were received, as well as seven from Australia.
