New Zealand shearer Megan Whitehead. Image – SSNZ.

NEW Zealand shearer Megan Whitehead will attempt to regain the women’s world solo nine hour strongwool lamb shearing record in December.

World Sheep Shearing Records Society secretary Paul Harris, who has assumed the role from long-serving Hugh McCarroll, confirmed an application has been received for the bid to take place on 18 December at Grant Brother’s ‘Tin House’ property at Gore in New Zealand.

She is targeting the record of 720, that was shorn by Sacha Bond, at Centrehill, near Mossburn, also in Southland, on 19 December, 2023.

There have been just four holders of the record, all shorn in New Zealand, with Jills Angus Burney shearing 541 near Bennydale, King Country, in January 1989, Emily Welch setting a new mark of 648 at Waikaretu, near Port Waikato, in November 2007, and Whitehead shearing 661 at Craigellachie, Croydon Bush, on January 14, 2021, in a two-stand record of 1283 shorn with cousin Hannah McColl.

Whitehead also shares a women’s four-stand nine hour record of 2066 shorn near Turangi in January 2020, with a personal contribution of 608, and holds the eight hour solo record of a phenomenal 686, shorn on 15 December, 2023, at Grant Brothers ‘Tin House’

Nine hour records are usually shorn from 5am to 5pm, with three hours of breaks for breakfast, lunch, and morning and afternoon tea, comprising one two hour run and four of 1hr 45min. Eight hour records comprise four runs of two hours each.

News of this event can be followed here on the Shearing Sports New Zealand Facebook page, on the official Facebook page of Megan’s record  – Megan Whitehead 9 hour strong wool lamb record attempt 2026 – and at the World Sheep Shearing Records Society’s official website  https://www.shearingrecords.com/