There were strong home ties for the champions of the first North Island shearing sports show of the new season held over the weekend.
The Poverty Bay A and P Show Shearing and Woolhandling Championships was held in Gisborne on Saturday.
- Kiwi shearer breaks world record
- Mark Richardson calls for sheep shearing to be included in Halberg Awards
- 'Behind Baaaas': Country cop helps out in shearing shed
Originally from the East Coast but based in Hawke's Bay for most of his 27 seasons of competition shearing, 2017 world champion shearer John Kirkpatrick won the Poverty Bay Open title for a 13th time.
Angelique Gage, also from Gisborne, won the open woolhandling final win.
Gage was back in her home town just five months after years away in the South Island and Australia, and competing in only her second final since winning the New Zealand Corriedale Championships at the Canterbury Show two years ago.
Local competitors picked-off two other woolhandling titles, with Tramon Campbell winning the senior final, her second win in the grade, and Loghan Madoc the novice final.
While Gisborne shearers dominated, visitors weren't completely locked out.
Simon Goss from Mangamahu, north of Whanganui won the senior shearing final, while Daniel Biggs, also of Mangamahu, won the intermediate event.
Masterton teenager Adam Gordon won the junior shearing final.
Meanwhile Kirkpatrick and Buick will be in action as part of the New Zealand Shears competition team at top Australian crossbred championships the Warrnambool Shears on Saturday.
Both are former winners of the Warrnambool title.
Newshub.
