Save the date!! Saturday 11 April 2026

Please note the close off date for stall registrations is Friday 13 March.

The New Zealand Shearing Championships committee has worked alongside the Waitomo District Council (WDC) for more than 30 years to turn Te Kūiti township into the Shearing mecca it is known for. The NZ Shearing Championships, The NZ Shears Running of the Sheep and The Great New Zealand Muster becomes centre stage for the District once again.

The event will be held on Saturday 11 April 2026 and will fill Te Kūiti’s main streets with musicians, children's activities, arts and crafts stalls, culinary delights and so much more.

The Muster is where the Waitomo District shows visitors just how special it is to be a part of this vibrant rural community.

BE ENTERTAINED

We’re thrilled to announce that music band Done Deal will be entertaining the crowd throughout the day.

Done Deal are a premium 5 piece band based in the Waikato region, covering all the classics from Rock to Blues, Country and more.

Television personality James McOnie will be our MC for the day. James is a talented broadcaster, host, writer and MC who has spent "too many years in the media" by his own admission.

He's known for transforming traditionally long and dreary awards nights into something enjoyable. James is proudly from Te Awamutu, and grew up in the Waikato in a family that loved sport, comedy music.

He now lives in West Auckland and has worked for The Crowd Goes Wild on Prime and Sky TV since 2006. 'CGW' is New Zealand's longest-running sports show. He also works for the Alternative Commentary Collective, either calling live sport or as part of the top-rating Agenda podcast. And he's a member of the Radio Hauraki whānau.

A journalist by trade, James wrote for regional and Sunday papers in New Zealand, and for newspapers in Britain, before switching to TV and radio in the mid-2000s.

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Other entertainment during the day includes a magician, balloon animal artists, face painting and more!

Children's entertainment is "always popular” and for those looking to squeeze in a bit of shopping, the streets will be lined with arts and crafts stalls and other giftware, so you can pick up a range of items, in a variety of prices to suit all budgets and tastes.

For those looking to squeeze in a bit of shopping, the streets will be lined with arts and crafts stalls and other knick-knacks, so you can pick up a range of items, in a variety of prices to suit all budgets and tastes.

DELICIOUS FOOD

Hungry? There's no need to bring a packed lunch, unless you really want to! Our regular Muster selections are always a hit, and this year will be no exception, there’ll be all the crowd favourites to delight your taste buds with.

BE SUN SMART

As always, we're hoping for great weather. In anticipation of this, please remember to apply sunscreen, and don’t forget to bring water to keep well hydrated.

RUNNING OF THE SHEEP

The NZ Shearing Championship Committee provides the famous Running of the Sheep, which draws crowds from all over the North Island, this event completes the day at 2pm.

Te Kūiti's main streets will be closed to traffic, so head in early to get a good park. It's going to be a great day out for the entire family, so make sure you come along. There really is something for everyone at The Great New Zealand Muster!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

A generous thank you to our major sponsor - The Lines Company