Putting down the shears and rolling up their sleeves was the goal for some shearing gangs on the east coast as they vyed for the top prize for most vaccinated gang.

The initiative run by Turanga Health - put the message out to the shearing community - that those with the most vaxxed would receive almost $1,000 worth of vouchers and a new handpiece.

Tairawhiti is 90 percent first dose and 83 percent fully vaccinated - they were at one point the least vaccinated DHB.

GT Shearing based in Mangatu were the champions, with 87 percent of their crew vaccinated, the other two behind got to more than 70 percent.

Trish Fleming from GT Shearers told Māni Dunlop about the initiative and their win.