Source: Radio New Zealand
RNZ / Charlotte Cook
New Zealand is world famous for its sheep, and it seems as though those sheep might be the secret to its shearing success.
The Golden Shears and the World Shearing Championships are running in parallel in Masterton this week with more than 400 competitors from 24 countries looking for a win.
Wales are the current world teams champions, but Scotland and the Kiwis are rumoured to be amongst the top picks.
But it all comes down to the sheep.
RNZ / Charlotte Cook
Organisers ship sheep from around the country of all different breeds to try and even the playing field because for the likes of Mongolia – who are competing for the first time and Japan who raise barn sheep – the wool is very different to work with.
Shun Oishi, a blade shearer from Japan, said it’s very tough.
“We don’t have those kind of sheep in Japan … half of the year sheep are inside in Japan because of the winter, and the paddock is not that great, so they tend to be staying in the shed a long time.”
Shun Oishi from Japan. RNZ / Charlotte Cook
Compared to New Zealand’s outdoor sheep, that makes it more difficult for blade and mechanical shearers.
“It’s good stock for farming, but not for shearing”, according to Oishi.
One machine shearer Gota Tateishi, was in tears after the whole crowd erupted when he finally finished his heat.
Oishi said he was overwhelmed by the support but said he had really struggled due to the lack of experience with New Zealand wool.
Wool handler Hannah Moore has been here for three months just to get used to the different processes.
Hannah Bowen from Isle of Man. RNZ / Charlotte Cook
But she’s already made history just by being here. This is the first time someone has represented the Isle of Man in wool handling.
“It’s very, very surreal. It’s almost like a pinch me moment.”
She’s glad to have spent some time adjusting to the wool because it’s been a steep learning curve.
“It’s completely different,” she said.
Someone not fazed by the difference is the South African Manager Izak Klopper. He’s determined to hold onto his champion Boniel Rabela.
Izak Klopper. RNZ / Charlotte Cook
Rabela won the blade shearing world championship in 2023 and is looking like a shoe-in for the final.
“We’ve got to be quick because the Kiwis don’t wait. You got to run with the pack.”
But they are more skilled than most when it comes to using the old method.
Out of more than 20 million sheep in South Africa, 17 million are still clipped with blades.
“It’s for far off remote areas where there’s no electricity yet and leaves a little bit of wool on for the cold winter conditions,” he said.
“It’s also a cheaper option than machine shearing.”
RNZ / Charlotte Cook
He’s selected a team of the best from nine provincial shearing competitions before heading to the national championship, and then the works begin to prepare for New Zealand.
He’s hoping that pays off.
“Now we’ll have to work our way towards the top six.
“Because you cannot win the championships from the seats, from the cheap seats”.
Yuki Yamomoto. RNZ / Charlotte Cook
On Friday night, the world championship medals will be awarded in the teams events in the machine shearing, woolhandling and blade shearing.
In the blade shears, New Zealand’s Alan Oldfield and Tony Dobbs are contesting the final.
In the machine shearing, Toa Henderson and Rolland Smith are up for the titles.
And in the woolhandling, there is Joel Henare and Marika Braddock.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
