Ohai shearer Leon Samuels cemented his hopes as a Golden Shears Open contender on Saturday, when he successfully defended the Otago Shears Open Shearing title he won in a surprise victory in 2020.

The glamour Golden Shears event is scheduled for Masterton on March 4-6.

Samuels now has four big wins and a third place under his belt. He featured in a battle for time honours on Saturday with Northland shearer Toa Henderson, who finished the 20 sheep in 16min 58.66sec.

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Samuels was next-off six seconds later, followed by Southland hope and former Otago winner Brett Roberts, reigning Golden Shears champion Rowland Smith, and Invercargill’s Nathan Stratford.

While Stratford had the best pen points, Smith had the best points on the board and enough quality to take second-place overall.

Kahn Culshaw, of Mataura, won the Senior shearing title, Gore’s Brodie Horrell the Intermediate title, and Keahrey Manson from King Country shearing base Piopio won the Junior final.    

Meanwhile, champion woolhandler Joel Henare, of Gisborne, shut out his opposition at the weekend to reclaim his New Zealand Woolhandler of the Year title.

Henare’s plan was to retire after scoring the 100th Open final win of his career at the 2018 Golden Shears, or at least cut way back on competition.

But in the three years since he’s added another 19 wins to the list. 

Saturday’s triumph, at Telford Polytech Farm near Balclutha, was his 7th in a row in the event. 

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His leading challenger on Saturday was Pagan Karauria, of Alexandra. Kelly Macdonald, from Lake Hawea, and Tia Potae, from Milton were third and fourth, to complete a clean sweep in the final among trainers from Elite Wool Industry Training.

Destiny Paikea, of Heriot, won the Senior final, from a high-quality field, and Samantha Allen, of Balclutha, won the Junior final.

Henare has won the Otago Shears final 12 times since 2008, when he was aged 15, and is well down the path to win the Golden Shears Open title for a 9th time in a row.

He has not entered the Southern Shears in Gore, scheduled for this weekend.

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RESULTS of the Otago Shears shearing and woolhandling championships at Telford Polytech Farm, Balclutha, on Saturday, February 14, 2021:

Shearing:

Open final (20 sheep): Leon Samuels (Ohai) 17min 4.13sec, 55.4065pts, 1; Rowland Smith (Maraekakaho) 17min 36.34sec, 56.517pts, 2; Toa Henderson (Kaiwaka) 16min 58.66sec, 56.933pts, 3; Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) 18min 0.31sec, 57.1655pts, 4; Brett Roberts (Mataura) 17min 31.87sec, 57.9355pts, 5.

Senior final ( 12 sheep): Kahn Culshaw (Mataura) 13min 49.66sec, 49.3163pts, 1; Cayzer Wedd (Napier/Oamaru) 13min 40.03sec, 50.1682pts, 2; Braydon Clifford (Waikaka) 14min 18.56sec, 51.2613pts, 3; Marley Waihape (Mataura) 14min 25.75sec, 52.7042pts, 4; Taare Edwards (Taumarunui) 14min 30.75sec, 53.3708pts, 5.

Intermediate final (6 sheep): Brodie Horrell (Gore) 7min 44.53sec, 28.8932pts, 1; Silas Horrell (Gore) 7min 49.94sec, 28.997pts, 2; John Cherrington (Huntly) 8min 27.94sec, 30.397pts, 3; James Wilson (Ryall Bush) 9min 37.12sec, 37.0227pts, 4; Alice Watson (Blenheim) 10min 31.69sec, 37.7512pts, 5.

Junior final (4 sheep): Keahrey Manson (Piopio) 7min 24.13sec, 27.2065pts, 1; Hamu Henderson (Kaiwaka) 7min 31.35sec, 27.8175pts, 2; Jack Pringle (Balclutha) 7min 48.12sec, 32.156pts, 3; Jordan White (Balclutha) 8min 8.03sec, 32.4015pts, 4; Foonie Waihape (Alexandra) 7min 43.97sec, 35.1985pts, 5.  

New Zealand Woolhandler of the Year:

Open final: Joel Henare (Gisborne) 175.068pts, 1; Pagan Karauria (Alexandra) 196.456pts, 2; Kally Macdonald (Lake Hawea) 248.21pts, 3; Tia Potae (Milton) 353.766pts, 4.

Senior final: Destiny Paikea (Heriot) 298.81pts, 1; Heaven Little (Balclutha) 323.8pts, 2; Lashara Anderson (Christchurch) 357.25pts, 3; Nat Collier (Gore) 447.762pts, 4.

Junior final: Samantha Allen (Balclutha) 188.44pts, 1; Brittany Kellet (Ashburton) 194.38pts, Gypsy Hoani (Gore) 209.13pts, 3; Tia Manson (Piopio) 230.47pts, 4.