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World eight-hour strong wool shearing record attempt postponed

Sheep Central, August 26, 2019

British shearers Jonny Roberts and Martin Howlett. Shearers. Image – Heiniger.

A BRITISH attempt to break the world eight-hour two-stand strong wool ewe shearing record has been postponed until September 24.

Two United Kingdom shearers — Jonny Roberts and Martin Howlett – had intended on 24 August to attempt the record of 1068 strong wool ewes set by Coel L’Huillier (537) and Kelvin Walker (531) on 10 January 2017 at Te Hape Station, Bennydale, New Zealand.

Secretary of the World Sheep Shearing Records Society Inc. Hugh McCarroll confirmed that the record attempt had been postponed because the fleece weight of the sheep organised for the shearers fell short of the required amount by 0.28 kilograms when some were shorn last Friday. The fleeces of 10 drafted ewes have to average 3 kilograms. Every 20th ewe is drafted out of the mob to be shorn until 10 are selected.

Mr McCarroll said the record attempt is now scheduled to take place on 24 September this year. The record attempt was scheduled to take place at Bigley Farm, Elcombe Road, Alvediston, Salisbury.

The shearers have chosen to donate any surplus monies from the attempt to ‘The Stars Appeal’ based at the Salisbury District Hospital. The charity is reportedly trying to raise £1 million by the end of 2019. The record attempt is supported by Heiniger, wool merchants Laurence Pierce and holder of the world solo nine-hour strong wool ewe record Matt Smith who lives in Cornwall.

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Comments

  1. Bob Blanden, August 27, 2019

    With the increase in breeding sheep with less wool on the points i.e. top knots, breech and legs, is it not time to review the weight of wool rule in world records? Weight of sheep would have a bigger effect on the shearers. In this case, taking the sample weights late in the afternoon on a very hot day gave a result that would not have been the same as if it had been done at 7 am — the proposed start time the following morning. All that was achieved, was a total anti-climax for everyone involved and particularly for the two shearers, who will have a lot of increased costs for a very insignificant amount of strong wool; value – peanuts.

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