Get ready for an electrifying event as two of the world’s top women’s shearing champions, Megan Whitehead and Sacha Bond, prepare to face off in the highly anticipated Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games on Sunday, March 12th.
Sir David Fagan, a legend in the world of shearing, expressed his excitement about the upcoming competition, saying,
It's great to see these two talented women, Megan Whitehead and Sacha Bond, taking part in the New Zealand Speed Shearing Championship. Both have proven themselves on the international stage, and it will be a thrilling showdown between the two.
Sacha Bond, from Woodville, is no stranger to success, having recently smashed the previous world record for the solo women’s eight-hour strong wool record shearing 601 lambs. She will be looking to add another victory to her already impressive list of achievements.
Megan Whitehead, from Gore, recently broke the world record for the women’s solo nine-hour strong wool lamb record with 661. She will be looking to use her speed and precision to secure the New Zealand Women’s Speed Shear title.
The men’s competition features Jack Fagan, the current men’s solo eight-hour strong wool shearing record holder shearing 754 and back-to-back winner of the NZ Speed Shear Championship. Alongside him is Digger Balme from Otorohanga, now in his 37th season of open-class competition. Digger is also the back-to-back second-place holder in the New Zealand Speed Shear Championship.
Joining them are Leon Samuels from Invercargill, Lionel Taumata from Gore, Jimmy Samuels from Marton, Brett Roberts from Mataura, Jack Fagan from Te Kuiti, Paerata Abraham and David Gordon from Masterton, Hemi Braddick from Eketāhuna, and Toa Henderson from Kaiwaka.
Sir David Fagan said that to be eligible to compete in the New Zealand Speed Shearing Championship, athletes had to participate in speed shear and shearing competitions week in and week out throughout the country throughout the season.
The New Zealand Speed Shearing Championship | Te Tātāwhāinga Kuti Hipi Hohoro O Aotearoa will occur on Sunday, March 12th, 2023, in Palmerston North from 2pm to 4pm. It will be live-streamed and featured in the TV3 Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games 1-hour highlight programme:
