Weekend shears double for Henderson as World Champs loom

Northland shearer Toa Henderson is hitting the ground running with two big Open final wins at the weekend as he builds up to the World shearing and woolhandling championships in Masterton next week.

Reigning Golden Shears champion Henderson won the titles at the 60th anniversary Southern Shears in Gore on Saturday and the Counties Shears on Sunday in Pukekohe, where he was also the top individual as New Zealand beat Wales to take a 2-0 lead in the three-match Wools of New Zealand series.

Toa Henderson (right) pictured celebrating his latest open final win. At left is Counties Shears organiser Sam Welch, Photo /Ange Bridson

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Shearing 20 sheep in 15min 29s he won Sunday’s Open final by almost three points from runner-up and Te Kuiti shearer Jack Fagan, with third place going to Welsh shearer Llyr Jones.

Henderson and Fagan then beat Jones and reigning World champion Gwion Evans by 7.35 points in the test match.

The test followed a separate New Zealand team’s win over Australia in Gore on Saturday, a match of three-a-side and including merino sheep.

The last test between New Zealand and Wales will be shorn at the Taumarunui Shears on Friday, the start of a big weekend leading into the 20th World championships, with 27 countries competing for machine shearing, blades shearing, and woolhandling individual and teams titles in Masterton on March 4-7.  

In the Senior final on Sunday, Napier shearer Kaivah Cooper beat Dylan Young, of Gisborne, by just 0.25 points, Luke Marsden, of Taumarunui, scored just his second win by claiming Intermediate honours, Kingston Pue, of Raetihi, won the Junior final, and Mali Jones, from Wales, won a Novice event in which 2025 national Young Farmer of the Year Hugh Jackson, of Te Akau, was third. 

RESULTS from the Counties Shears at the Franklin A&P Show on Sunday, February 22, 2026:

Wools of New Zealand International Shearing Series Second Test (15 sheep): New Zealand (Toa Henderson 11m 22s, 41.7pts; Jack Fagan 11m 51s, 43.95pts) 85.65pts, beat Wales (Gwion Evans 12m 22s, 45.63pts; Llyr Jones 12m 26s, 47.37pts) 93pts. New Zealand won by 7.35pts and lead the two-test series 2-0.

Open final (20 sheep): Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 15m 29s, 52.75pts, 1; Jack Fagan (Te Kuiti) 15m 56s, 55.7pts, 2; Llyr Jones (Wales) 15m 38s, 56.8pts, 3; Rowland Smith (Maraekaskaho) 17m 21s, 57.4pts, 4; Digger Balme (Te Kuiti) 17m 12s, 62.8pts, 5. 

Senior final (10 sheep): Kaivah Cooper (Napier) 10m 26s, 40pts, 1; Dylan Young (Gisborne) 10m 17s, 40.25pts, 2; Duncan Adams (Banchory, Scotland) 11m 29s, 40.65pts, 3; Sarah Bryant (Arohena) 12m 11s, 43.65pts, 4; Atawhai Hadfield (Wairoa) 12m 58s, 49pts, 5.

Intermediate final (6 sheep): Luke Marsden (Taumarunui) 6m 58s, 28.4pts, 1; Tom Charnley (North Yorkshire, England) 7m 58s, 30.73pts, 2; Peter Hogarth (Tain, Scotland) 8m 55s, 33.75pts, 3; Kevin Noome (Donegal, Ireland) 8m 50s, 34.5pts, 4; Baska Erdenetsogt (Mongolia) 8m 21s, 36.38s, 5.

Junior final (4 sheep): Kingston Pue (Raetihi) 6m 7s, 23.6pts, 1; Ashlin Swann (Wairoa) 7m 31s, 27.3pts, 2; Shawna Swann (Wairoa) 8gm 39s, 31.7pts, 3; James Anderson (Pukeatua) 8m 34s, 35.7pts, 4; Kathryn MacPherson (Scotland) 9m 30s, 37.5pts, 5.

Novice (1 sheep): Mali Jones (Bala, Wales) 3m 39s, 21.95pts, 1; Cleveland Pue (Raetihi) 5m 4s, 23.23pts, 2; Hugh Jackson (Te Akau) 4m 20s, 33pts, 3; Alexis Young (Gisborne) 3m 30s, 33.5pts, 4; Bazza Ganbaatar (Mongolia) 4m 32s, 46.6pts, 5.

Veterans: Peter McCabe (Katikati) 37.6pts, 1; Lee Cheyne (Te Kauwhata) 45.6pts, 2; David Hodge (Te Puke) 47.8pts, 3; Barry Jones (Pukekohe) 51.1pts, 4; Jeff Wood (Ruawai) 51.3pts, 5.