Sportsperson of the Year: Double delight for champion shearer | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

Hawke's Bay world champion shearer Cam Ferguson went a long way to eliminating any doubts his sport isn't one on Saturday night.

Ferguson, who was crowned the 2011 Hawke's Bay Sportsperson of the Year in front of a record 530 guests in Taradale's Pettigrew-Green Arena, gave a summation of his world lamb shearing record, 742 lambs in eight hours, when he collected the senior award prior to the premier award.

"It was the equivalent of running two marathons and lifting 20kg of spuds every five minutes over eight hours," said Waipawa's Ferguson as he recalled his January feat.

This record, along with the individual and team titles at the July world championships, saw the Waipawa father of three beat the likes of world champion surf lifesaver Daniel Moodie, Commonwealth Games Sevens gold medallist Zac Guildford, All Blacks Tri Nations star Israel Dagg, Commonwealth Games cycling silver medallist Westley Gough and world rowing bronze medallist Emma Twigg for the senior award.

"It's a huge honour ... not only to win but to beat a field like that," said Ferguson, who has been shearing for 10 years.

His major goal during the coming months is his quest to retain his world titles at next year's championships which will be held in conjunction with the annual Masterton-hosted Golden Shears in March. His eight-round qualifying series, from which New Zealand's two representatives will be selected, begins in Christchurch in November.

Ferguson was one of three current world champions to win awards on Saturday night. World under-20 rugby champion Star Timu was unable to collect his junior award after being injured in a club game earlier in the day.

A man Timu will no doubt aim to emulate during the coming years, former All Black and Magpies midfielder Ian MacRae, accepted the award on his behalf.

Age group title winner at the world triathlon long distance championships and fourth placegetter in the 45-49 age group at the Hawaii Ironman, Ali Hollington, collected the masters award. She was full of praise for her Hawke's Bay Multisport Club which won the Club Performance of the Year award.

Hollington was one of several club members who won world championship medals. Her club also boasts three national sprint title holders, two national Olympic distance title holders and numerous top three placegetters from the national Triathlon Points Series.

The Hawke's Bay Mountain Bike Club took home the Club Operations Award. This club boasts 1500 members.

Their volunteers did a top job when hosting national downhill and cross country events as well as a round in the North Island Downhill Series.

Cycling dynamo Ivan Aplin took home the administrator award. The Bike New Zealand Road and Track Cycling vice president's work as event manager for last year's road nationals was the key to his success.

It was a memorable night for hockey. Hawke's Bay senior men's player-coach Greg Nicol, who coached the New Zealand under-17 girls to a bronze medal at the Youth Olympics, took home the coach award, the national title winning Hawke's Bay under-18 boys hockey side the junior team award and former Black Sticks player Caryn Paewai joined Bay softball legend Chubb Tangaroa as the Hall of Fame inductees.

World shearing record holders Rowland and Doug Smith won the senior team award and international rugby referee Chris Pollock the official award.

A feature of the Sport Hawke's Bay-organised evening was a touching tribute to Ian Morris. Mr Morris, who died last year, was the musician who wrote the lyrics to the Hawke's Bay sport anthem Come on the Bay.

Auckland-based Hammond Gamble, who recorded the song, was joined by Reignier School students during the tribute.