Henare Dominates Golden Shears Semifinals

In a thrilling display of skill and precision at the Open Woolhandling Semi Finals of the Golden Shears 2026, Joel Henare emerged as the top competitor, showcasing an exceptional performance that set him apart from the rest. Henare completed his task with a total of 7 fleeces, securing an impressive total score of 77.58 points. His time of 30.582 seconds not only demonstrated his quickness but also his ability to maintain a high level of quality across all judging categories. Pagan Rimene followed closely behind, claiming the second spot with a total of 99.90 points. Despite finishing her task in a faster time of 24.489 seconds, Rimene's performance in the oddment and fleece points categories could not surpass Henare's, which ultimately made the difference between first and second place. Keryn Herbert took the third position with a score of 112.99 points, finishing her task in 24.928 seconds. Herbert's consistency across the board and oddment categories was notable, but she faced challenges in the fleece points category, which affected her overall score. The competition was tight, with Logan Kamura and Jess Parkhouse rounding out the top five with total scores of 137.08 and 137.64 points, respectively. Kamura's time of 25.388 seconds and Parkhouse's 28.208 seconds showed their competitive edge, but higher board and fleece points impacted their final standings. Notably, the competition saw a close contest in the blend points category, with competitors striving for perfection in the blending of fleeces. Joel Henare's remarkable score of 5.00 points in this category highlighted his superior skill in preparing the wool for market. As the Open Woolhandling Semi Finals conclude, Joel Henare's outstanding performance positions him as a strong contender for the final round of the competition. His combination of speed, precision, and attention to detail across all categories has set a high standard for woolhandling excellence at the Golden Shears 2026.

Top 4 competitors have qualified for the next round.