Golden Shears Update!

Because we went to the sheep shearing championships on the middle day of the event, my previous posting did not give you the results. As an avid sports fan, this was pretty much of a bummer for all of us. But today, the exciting final competition results were published in the Dominion Post, Wellington’s morning newspaper.

John Kirkpatrick snatched back the coveted Golden Shears crown in a frenetic finals showdown. He had not won the crown for six years, but bested the legendary David Fagan, as well as past winner Dion King and reigning champion Paul Avery. The stadium noise rose to fever pitch as Kirkpatrick swung into the long blow on the 20th and final sheep and roared as he shot it through the chute at 15 minutes and 35 seconds. He bested King by half a minute, guaranteeing his trip to the world championships in Norway. (Thanks to the Dominion Post for this update.)

Quirky Living Note: New Zealand has very elaborate pedestrian crossing signals. When you can't walk they have a slow beep, and when you get the green man walking signal there is a rapid beeping. Here in Wellington I think they are very serious about this, as on some crossings there is a silhouette drawn in white paint of a sprawled dead man, just before you step into the street. Gee, are they trying to tell us something?