Primary Wool backs shearing sports

Primary Wool backs shearing sports

The farmer-owned national wool marketing organisation, Primary Wool Cooperative Ltd, has become the major sponsor of shearing scoring in New Zealand.

The company is sponsoring the locally-developed computer timing system which keeps track of the performance of each competitor during the nine North Island competitions, which includes the North Island shearing championships at Feilding (February 9), the Golden Shears in Masterton (Feb 28 - March 1) and the New Zealand shearing championships at Te Kuiti at the end of March.

John Fagan of Te Kuiti, a former world record holder and chairman of Northern Timing which runs the computer system for the North island competitions, says shearing sports has been a vital element in improving the standard of shearing in New Zealand.

"Shearing sport is the shop window of what goes on in the farmer's shed, not only for the quality of the shearing, but also for wool handling," he says. "Wool handling is equally as important as shearing, because it's in wool handling that we make our money as wool growers, even if the sheep are shorn a little bit rough."

Mr Fagan has noticed that shearing gangs that go to shows in the weekend and watch competitive shearing, become more industry-orientated in their own work.

"Shearing sports is helping to create a real sense of pride in shearing, particularly amongst younger guys," he says. "There used to be two standards in shearing - show ponies and shed shearers, but now there's only one standard and it's becoming a lot higher as shearing sport grows."

Primary Wool managing director Brian Murray says the Cooperative is delighted to be involved with shearing sports because it recognises the impact the sport is having on improving standards.

"Improving standards and encouraging a high degree of professionalism within the industry, is to everyone's advantage, and we're pleased to have the opportunity to take part," he says. "As a farmer-owned wool procurement and marketing company, we're keen to do everything we can to support the industry and help lift standards, and supporting shearing sports is a very effective way of achieving that."

The full programme for shearing sports in the North Island this year is Raglan (Western Shears) held on January 4th, Marton (Feb 1), the North Island shearing championships at Feilding (Feb 9), Taumarunui Shears (Feb 21), Pahiatua Shears (Feb 23), Golden Shears at Masterton (Feb 28 - March 1), Kumeu Summer Shears (March 8), Taranaki Shears (March 23) and the New Zealand shearing championships at Te Kuiti (March 27-29).

Lance Warddell from Atco Agriculture in Auckland, operates the computer scoring equipment at the shearing sports, and transports the system around the shows.

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