World woolhandling championship favourite Joel Henare has made a big move towards a vaunted double by being the top qualifier for Southland All Nations Open warm-up event in Invercargill.
Henare(pictured), the 2012 World champion who later became the youngest ever acclaimed by Shearing Sports New Zealand as a Master Woolhandler, strove to win both the All Nations and World titles when the World shearing and woolhandling championships were last held in Ireland in May 2014.
He missed the cut for the World title final and bounced back to win the All Nations event.
Henare(pictured), the 2012 World champion who later became the youngest ever acclaimed by Shearing Sports New Zealand as a Master Woolhandler, strove to win both the All Nations and World titles when the World shearing and woolhandling championships were last held in Ireland in May 2014.
He missed the cut for the World title final and bounced back to win the All Nations event.
Today the Dunedin-based Gisborne woolhandler headed a list of six qualifiers for tomorrow's All Nations Open Championship, which will come a few hours after he has become his bid for a second World title, which will be decided in front of a crowd of over 4000 in ILT Stadium Southland on Saturday night.
Results of the Southland All Nations Open woolhandling semi-finals (six to final): Joel Henare (Gisborne) 36.676pts, 1; Tia Potae (Milton) 38.682pts, 2; Pagan Karauria (Alexandra) 41.88pts, 3; Angelique Miller (Gore) 46.47pts, 4; Dallas Mihaere (Dannevirke) 46.57pts, 5; Robyn Charlton (Wales) 48.462pts, 6.
Results of the Southland All Nations Open woolhandling semi-finals (six to final): Joel Henare (Gisborne) 36.676pts, 1; Tia Potae (Milton) 38.682pts, 2; Pagan Karauria (Alexandra) 41.88pts, 3; Angelique Miller (Gore) 46.47pts, 4; Dallas Mihaere (Dannevirke) 46.57pts, 5; Robyn Charlton (Wales) 48.462pts, 6.