Tough day ahead for champ's record bid

January 10, 10.30am

Tough day ahead for champ's record bid

World shearing champion Cam Ferguson now has the job ahead of him in his bid for a lambs record after falling one behind the run-by-run target after the first two hours of his eight-hour challenge at Moketenui Station, between Te Kuiti and Benneydale.

Needing to average 184 for each of the two-hour runs during the day, Ferguson was credited with 183 up to morning smoko, after three were rejected by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society judges during the troubled start to the day.

He was however eight behind the first run of Canterbury-based Irishman Ivan Scott when he set the current record of 736 south of Rotorua in December 2008.

With the weather fine and hot, Ferguson had been on the board just 20 minutes after his 7am start when a power cut closed-down the attempt for an hour. Judges allowed the record to resume within the rules, with the day an hour behind. The second run now is from 10.30am to 12.30pm, the third from 1.30-3.30pm, and the last 4-6pm.

Scott is among those in the woolshed watching, just four days before he takes on the nine-hour record near Taupo on Friday. Also present are Fergusopn's family, workmates and friends from Central Hawke's Bay.

ENDS

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