Shear hard work makes shearing a sport

With shearing sports backed by SPARC, Federated Farmers believes it has potential to become a demonstration sport at the Commonwealth Games, if not the Olympics. With the world championships to be held in Masterton in March, Federated Farmers points to the athleticism of new world record shearers, Ivan Scott and Kerri-Jo Te Huia.

“Ivan regained his world eight-hour solo lamb title by shearing 749 lambs; seven more than the previous world record. Shearing at Te Hape, near Benneydale, Kerri-Jo smashed the women’s eight-hour solo lamb shearing world record by shearing 507 lambs; 37 more than the previous record,” says Jeanette Maxwell, Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairperson.

“Shearers are not only an integral part of the wool’s value chain, their skill in producing high quality fleeces reminds our consumers that wool is not only natural, it is also the product of true craftsmanship and skill.

“Their work with farmers and everyone else involved with wool, is essential for us to get the best possible returns from this natural and renewable fibre.

“I can also testify to the physical effort shearing takes. People like Ivan Scott, Kerri-Jo Te Huia and our World Championships team are athletes who take it to another level.

“In 2008 it was mooted by Sports Shear Australia but surely, time has come to elevate shearing’s sporting status to the ultimate world stage. One way would be to make shearing a demonstration sport at a Commonwealth Games, if not, the Olympics itself.

“If we can achieve that goal it will not just elevate the status of shearing and shearers, it will promote the huge effort that goes into producing first sheep then the wool.

“Federated Farmers is also very pleased that the New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association has developed their ShearNZ programme, an industry led best practice programme to enhance the value of wool.

“The Federation has been working with the Association and looks forward to the publication of the finished document. It’s about partnership because we all share the need for wool to have a strong and sustainable future,” Mrs Maxwell concluded.