Big record bid a fine cut for shearer Stacey Te Huia

Big record bid a fine cut for shearer Stacey Te Huia

There are four shearing competitions throughout New Zealand today - but not for Te Kuiti gun Stacey Te Huia, who has his sights set on the biggest challenge of all when he tackles the World nine-hour strongwool ewe-shearing record on Thursday.

Te Huia, who yesterday started work back in the woolshed at Te Hape, near Bennydale, where the record bid takes place, will have to shore more than 721, the record set by Hawke's Bay shearer Rodney Sutton's record of 721 set eight years ago.

Te Huia will have to shear most sheep in well under 40 seconds to break the record, which has only been attempted four times in the last 20 years, and which Sutton broke by just the single sheep he caught before the World Sheep Shearing Records Society called time on his big day on January 31, 2007, just west of Bennydale.

The record attempt starts at 5am, and comprises five runs separated by meal and smoko breaks. The runs are 5am-7am, 8am-9.45am, 10.15am-midday, 1pm-2.45pm and 3.15pm-5pm.

Sutton's record started with 158 in the first run of two hours to breakfast, and was followed by successive 1hr 45min runs of 140, 142, 140, and 141.

he previous record of 720 held by Southland shearer Darin Ford had otherwise been unchallenged since it was set in a shed near Tuatapere on January 28, 1997, starting with an imposing 161 before breakfast, still a record for any two-hour run in a ewes record attempt.

Te Huia will have to average more than 80 ewes an hour. While the required rate is a sheep every 44.875 seconds, that does not take into account the catching time of about five seconds per sheep, and the regular gear maintenance - a change of cutter about every 15 minutes, taking 10-15 seconds, and quick zaps on the juice..

There have been four successful bids over 700, the first being on February 23, 1994, when King Country shearer David Fagan shore 702 at Brunel Peaks, Southland.

Te Huia, based mainly in Bathurst, NSW, first tackled a record when he was 20 in 1999, and currently holds two of the World Sheep Shearing Record Society's records.

He set the eight-hour record with a tally of 603 shorn at Moketenui, Bennydale, on December 22, 2010, with tallies of 146, 152, 153 and 152, over the four two-hour runs of that day, an average of a sheep every 47.761 seconds

Along with Sam Welch, of Waikaretu, he also shares a two-stand nine-hours record of 1341, shorn at Te Hape three years ago on January 17, 2012, when he shore a then personal best of 674, with run tallies of 149, 133, 131, 133, and 134.

Just over a year later, he made a first attempt on Sutton's record, but little went right from the start on the day and, with just 149 in the first run again, the target was never going to be seriously challenged. Hopes of a record were abandoned after the fourth run and the judges withdrew, but Te Huia shore on for a new personal best of 703.

Te Huia's fitness levels established in the shed, on the roads, in the gym and in the pool and the ocean will be put to good use again soon after Thursday's bid. He returns to Australia to tackle a finewool record on the merinos around Dubbo, NSW, next month.

ENDS

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