Golden Shears

The Golden Shears International Shearing and Woolhandling Championships, held annually in Masterton, New Zealand, since 1961, is the world's most prestigious sheep shearing event. Founded at the War Memorial Stadium, it initially featured three shearing classes, including the Open championship, considered the most revered single shearing title globally. The final, often likened to Wimbledon in tennis, involves six shearers each shearing 20 second-shear sheep, with the winner determined by the lowest score combining time and quality penalties.

Over the years, the event has expanded to include five shearing classes, four woolhandling classes, and three woolpressing classes. The McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown final, added in 1973, is now known as the PGG Wrightson National Circuit, involving five qualifying stages with competitors shearing various sheep types. The championships have inspired similar events globally, such as the Golden Shears of Great Britain and Australia’s home-and-away series.

The Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships, launched in 1977, features about 30 countries competing in machine shearing, blade shearing, and woolhandling categories. Despite the rise of a global championship every 2–4 years, the Masterton event remains a premier destination for shearers worldwide, with peak entries exceeding 600.

New Zealander David Fagan holds the record with 16 titles won between 1986 and 2009, including 12 consecutive victories from 1990 to 2001. The championships were not held in 2021 and 2022 due to pandemic-related restrictions but have been a consistent annual event for over 60 years prior.