More than 100 competitors will take part in a major shearing event in Central Hawke’s Bay today.
The Hawke’s Bay Autumn Shears is a brand new event being held at the CHB A & P Showgrounds.
Organiser and top NZ shearer Johnny Kirkpatrick says check-in for the woolhandling is from 7am, with the competition underway from 7.30.
The shearing competition will be underway from 11am.
Johnny Kirkpatrick says they had talked about holding the autumn shears last year but didn’t have a pavilion to use until now.
He says the event is open to the public, with free entry, and says the Heart Foundation will also be at the grounds giving free heart and health checks.
Mr Kirkpatrick says the support from the Central Hawke’s Bay community has been awesome.
The day will be bolstered by the last-minute addition of a shearing test between NZ and Wales, which was due to be held in the King Country last week but was cancelled due to rain.
The search for a crew member of a fishing vessel missing off the coast of Hawke’s Bay will continue today.
The man was reported missing around 12km from Waimarama about 8pm Monday. Maritime NZ’s Rescue Co-ordination Centre launched a search and rescue operation on Monday night, utilising helicopters from Hawke’s Bay, Auckland, and Gisborne.
Coastguard and other vessels in the area were also involved, as was the NZ Defence Force, who sent an NH90 Helicopter yesterday.
Authorities said it was unclear how the man had gone overboard, and whether he was wearing a lifejacket.
