Jack Fagan On Target To Break Two-day-old Shearing Record

Te Kuiti shearer Jack Fagan has got off to a lightning start in his bid to break the World solo eight hours strongwool lambshearing record which was set just two days ago.

A quarter of the way into the attempt at Ingleby Farms Puktetiti Station, about 25km by road west of State Highway 3 King Country township Piopio, Fagan had shorn 191 of the open-faced Romney lambs in the two hours from 7am to 9am – a pace which could see him break the record by about 20 lambs.

The second run started at 9.30am and an hour-long lunch break will be taken at 11.30am, with the third run from 12.30-2.30pm and the last from 3pm to the finish at 5pm.

The record bid comes on the 30th anniversary of a nine-hour record of 810 by father (Sir) David Fagan, shorn in Southland on December 22, 1992. (The nine-hour record is now 872).

Setting the eight-hour record on Tuesday in the first attempt in almost 11 years, 19-year-old Taihape shearer Reuben Alabaster shore 746, passing the previous record of 744 only in the last minute.

Alabaster had run tallies of shore 188, 183, 187 and 188.

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