"This one’s for Joanne Kumeroa," an emotional Joel Henare said winning the World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships woolhandling title in Invercargill on Saturday night.
Dedicating the win to his mentor and friend who passed away in 2015, the Dunedin-based woolhandler, originally from Gisborne, had a tear in his eye as he accepted the winning trophy.
The now two-time world woolhandling champion proved he is the best in the world, beating fellow New Zealand team-mate Mary-Anne Baty, Cook Islands representative Tina Elers, of Mataura, and Sophie Huff, of Australia, by 50 points to fulfil his lifelong dream — again.
"This is a lifelong dream, to become the world champion."
Henare thanked everyone involved with the championships for their hard work and paid credit to Shearing Sports New Zealand for their effort getting the team to Invercargill.
"To the rest of the team — it’s been a great weekend for us."
But it was not just one title Henare claimed on Saturday night.
Together with team-mate Baty, the duo battled Australia and the Cook Islands to win the teams woolhandling title.
In the teams machine shearing the Kiwi team, Invercargill man Nathan Stratford and Johnny Kirkpatrick, of Napier, edged out the flying Scotsmen, Gavin Mutch and Hamish Mitchell, to win the World Shearing and Woolhandling shearing team title.
On home soil, at his first world championships, Stratford won his first title, while team-mate Kirkpatrick finally won the elusive individual title, at his fourth world championships.
"It wasn’t an easy final. This is my fourth world champs; to win here in New Zealand is the biggest honour of my life."
Kirkpatrick was awarded the trophy to a standing ovation in front of more than 4000 people. Kirkpatrick, like Henare, could not believe the transformation of ILT Stadium Southland, one of the best world championships he had ever been to, he said.
He thanked his family, who had been a part of the roller-coaster ride to win the individual title, but they had got there, he said.
"Sometimes I think they love shearing more than I do."
In the blade shearing, South African Mayenseke Shweni successfully defended the blade shearing title he won in Ireland in 2014.Together with countryman Bongani Joel, the South Africans also won the blades team title, beating New Zealand team-mates Tony Dobbs, of Fairlie, and Phil Oldfield, of Geraldine.
Results
Individual: Machine Shearing final (20 sheep six fullwool, eight second-shear, six lambs): John Kirkpatrick (New Zealand) 17min 22.079sec, 61.554pts, 1; Gavin Mutch (Scotland) 16min 56.139sec, 62.907pts, 2; Nathan Stratford (New Zealand) 18min 3.357sec, 63.818pts, 3; Ivan Scott (Ireland) 18min 20.599sec, 66.53pts, 4; Hamish Mitchell (Scotland) 16min 50.75sec, 67.688pts, 5; Jack Robinson (Northern Ireland) 19min 22.71sec, 70.986pts, 6.Blade shearing final (6 sheep — 3 second-shear, 3 longwool): Mayenseke Shweni (South Africa) 18min 7.101sec, 74.189pts, 1; Tony Dobbs (New Zealand) 19min 53.177sec, 75.992pts, 2; Phil Oldfield (New Zealand) 19min 59.129sec, 81.123pts, 3; Bongani Joel (South Africa) 21min 40.674sec, 84.034pts, 4; Ken French (Australia) 21min 41.956sec, 92.098pts, 5; Johnathon Dalla (Australia) 22min 10.601se, 93.697pts, 6.
Woolhandling final (8 fleeces — 4 second-shear, 4 longwool): Joel Henare (New Zealand) 107.82pts, 1; Mary-Anne Baty (New Zealand) 152.47pts, 2; Tina Elers (Cook Islands) 205.28pts, 3; Sophie Huf (Australia) 224.69pts, 4. Teams: Machine Shearing final (20 sheep — six fullwool, eight second-shear, six lambs): New Zealand (John Kirkpatrick/Nathan Stratford) 18min 56.464sec, 66.373pts, 1; Scotland (Hamish Mitchell/Gavin Mutch) 18min 25.655sec, 67.083pts, 2; Australia (Shannon Warnest/Jason Wingfield) 19min 49.475sec, 72.674pts, 3; Northern Ireland (Ian Montgomery/Jack Robinson) 21min 43.667sec, 74.183pts, 4; Wales (Gwion Evans/Ian Jones) 20min 44.186sec, 75.409pts, 5; Ireland (Stanley Allingham/Ivan Scott) 21min 56.458sec, 77.273pts, 6.Blade shearing final (6 sheep — 3 second-shear, 3 longwool): South Africa (Bongani Joel/Mayenseke Shweni) 18min 29.292sec, 78.299pts, 1; New Zealand (Tony Dobbs/Phil Oldfield) 19min 42.985sec, 84.816pts, 2; Australia (Johnathon Dalla/Ken French) 21min 20.142sec, 100.507pts, 3; Ireland (Peter Heraty/Noel Joyce) 27min 19.759sec, 114.821pts, 4; England (Andrew Mudge/George Mudge) 26min 34.698sec, 115.902pts, 5; Wales (Elfed Jackson/Gareth Owen) 25min 1.558sec, 122.078pts, 6. Woolhandling final (8 fleeces — 4 second-shear, 4 longwool): New Zealand (Mary-Anne Baty/Joel Henare) 99.762pts, 1; Australia (Sophie Huf/Mel Morris) 141.464pts, 2; Cook Islands (Maiden Elers/Tina Elers) 169.75pts, 3.
