The Golden Shears is New Zealand's premier shearing and wool handling competition and one of the country's most distinctive annual events, held each March in Masterton in the Wairarapa. Now in its seventh decade, it attracts the world's finest shearers and wool handlers to compete for titles that are genuinely coveted across the global shearing community, while drawing audiences who come to witness a traditional rural skill performed at an extraordinary level of speed, precision and artistry.

Shearing is deeply woven into New Zealand's history and identity — the wool industry shaped the country's economy and its landscapes, and the skills of the shearer represent a form of physical mastery that commands enormous respect in rural communities across Aotearoa and beyond. At the Golden Shears, these skills are celebrated and tested at the highest level, with competitors from New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and beyond converging on Masterton for a competition that is as much cultural event as sporting contest.

For visitors, the Golden Shears offers a genuinely rare experience — the chance to watch world-class athletes performing a craft that connects directly to the land, the animals and the history of New Zealand. The Wairarapa setting, the community atmosphere and the sheer skill on display make it one of those events that surprises and impresses in equal measure.