Shearing record called off

On behalf of Shearing Sports New Zealand

November 26, 2010

Shearing record called off

Napier shearer Steve Stoney was down but not out after calling off his World shearing record today, less than a quarter into the nine hour day in which he hoped to shear more than 866 lambs.

The 41-year-old Stoney found the going tough right from the 5am start at Kahuranaki Station, east of Hastings, and with just 163 on the chart after the two-hour run to breakfast, abandoned the attempt - already more than 30 behind the pace of holder and fellow Hawke's Bay shearer Dion King's first run of 196 when the record was last set in January 2007.

Judging convenor Mark Baldwin, of Australia, announced the end of the attempt, saying it had been a brave bid by Stoney but many things had gone against him, including cooler than expected conditions. He had shorn 166, but judges rejected three.

Stoney, who shore 850 in an uncontrolled day in the shed a year ago to see what he was capable of, reckoned wife Kat would be more disappoimted than he.

Admitting a few moments of grief after shutting-off the machine for the last time, Stoney was soon smiling again, saying: "The party's over, too many things went against us, but it's been a huge learning curve. We've learnt alot."

"I'll have a couple of days off, and reset the mind," he said, not ruling out making an attempt at another time, or even some competition shearing at which he had some success, finishing third in a Golden Shears intermediate final in 1989.

Among those watching at various times were King, new World champion Cam Ferguson who enters the record-challenge scene with an attempt on the eight-hour record in January, and contractor Jeff Dorset, organising a possible attempt on the nine-hour record by South Island-based Irishman and eigh-hour record holder Ivan Scott, also in January.

ENDS

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