Worldly shearers Llyr Jones, left, and Paerata Abraham — from competitors to record attempt partners.

NEW Zealand’s shearing royalty packed a remote Wairarapa wool shed yesterday for what was the first trans-global attack on a world shearing record.

But the ultimate prize proved beyond all the effort and all the willing as Kiwi hopeful Paerata Abraham and Welsh speedster Llyr Jones — who a year ago were opponents in international test match shearing — fell 15 short of the goal in challenging a world two-stand, eight hour strong wool lambs record of 1410.

Current record holders Simon Goss and Jamie Skiffington among the throng at Whitespurs, near Gladstone, east of Masterton. Abraham, with brother-in-law and fellow New Zealand representative David Gordon watching the clock, and Jones, with Welsh national teammate Gethin Lewis at his side, knew they were off the pace for much of the day, but battled on to end with an official tally of 1396.

They opened well enough with 351 lambs in the opening run from 7am to the morning break at 9am – three more than Goss and Skiffington achieved in the first two hours of their record north-east of Whanganui in January 2023.

With 695 lambs by lunch, the 354 best run of the day after the break was not enough to get onto the average of 353 a run needed to break the record, and the pair went into the last two hours from 3pm to 5pm needing 362, six more lambs than the best run in the existing record.

In the end, Jones claimed the individual bragging rights with 708 lambs for the day, and Abraham was credited with 688 lambs, which compared with the 715 and 695 of Goss and Skiffington respectively.

The green light for the record to go ahead was given on Monday when a sample shear of 20 lambs produced an average of 0.937kg of wool each, safely over the minimum requirement of 0.9kg.

Among those present were at least four who have held individual world shearing records, and three individual world champions, as well as Jones’ parents who had travelled from Wales.

The helpers in the pens included English shearer Stu Connor, who in England in 2021 set shearing’s pinnacle world nine hour solo strong wool lambs record of 872, which Skiffington, from Rotorua, will be challenging in one of two other record bids in New Zealand in the next few weeks.

Solo lamb shearing record holder Stuart Connor, left, discusses proceedings with Welsh international Gethin Lewis, the timekeep for Llyr Jones. Photo – supplied.

Three more record attempts coming up

On 18 December at Ferndale Station, Hunterville, New Zealand, Shane Ratima, Jimmy Samuels, Akuhata Waihape are to attempt the three stand strong wool lamb record (1976) set in 2019 by Cole L’Huillier, Kaleb Foote and Daniel Langlands.

On 21 December at ‘Parkdale’, Dubbo, NSW, Nicki Guttler will attempt to break the very first women’s eight hour Merino lamb world record (395) set on 17 November 17th 2024.

On 20 January, 2025, at ‘Waewaepa Station’ Dannevirke, NZ, Jamie Skiffington will attempt Stuart Connor’s nine hour strong wool lamb record of 872 set in July 2021 in England.