WairarapaEvents
Competitors are lined up on stage at the Golden Shears World Premier Shearing and Woolhandleing Championships.

Up the bahs in Masterton at the world’s premier sheep shearing competition.

Watch as the wool flies, muscles flex, and the crowd roars. Golden Shears is back and you’re invited to watch the action in Masterton. Running 27 February to 1 March 2025, Golden Shears is the world’s premier shearing, wool handling, and wool pressing championship. This globally-recognised sporting code sees women, men, and children compete in specialist heats. Only the fastest and most efficient can win in three possible categories. Shearing the sheep, wool handling (preparing the wool clip from a shorn sheep), and pressing (compressing the clip into manageable bales). 

Golden Shears provides the ultimate training ground for vital skills needed in farms across the country. The 2025 competition is extra important for Kiwi shearers. It’s the last major competitive opportunity before the world competition in 2026. Masterton is hosting the event and will welcome competitors from up to 30 countries. In the meantime, flock to Masterton’s War Memorial Stadium in 2025 to catch the national action.

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