Today, he hopes that will pay off as he and woolhandling partner Shirley Munro compete alongside two others in the teams event of the 51st New Zealand Merino Shearing competition in Alexandra.
The Clyde couple are just two of almost 200 shearers and woolhandlers who will be competing in a makeshift woolshed in Molyneux Stadium.
He will face up to 54 other shearers from around New Zealand and Australia, including Damien Boyle of Western Australia, who has won the competition for the last two years.
Boyle has competed at this competition about 16 times and has made it into the finals every time. He said this year he has probably done more shearing during the period before the competition and to win a third time would be "lovely".
New Zealand Merino Shearing Society president Graeme Bell said there were more junior and senior competitors than normal - up to twice as many compared with some previous years.
"Which just shows the enthusiasm and respect for our show ... it's absolutely tremendous."
He said 1400 sheep from Stonehenge, Earnscleugh and Ida Valley stations were being prepared and transported to the stadium for the event.
The competition begins today at 7.30am with junior and senior woolhandling heats and semifinals, followed by the open wool handling class and senior shearing heats. This evening, from 6.15, the semifinals of the open wool handling and the open team event will take place.
Tomorrow, the action begins just as early with the open shearing heats before the woolhandling and other finals and the teddy bear shear, for children.
Tomorrow night includes the final of the open class events and the New Zealand, Perth challenge, a New Zealand versus Australia contest.
