Shear for Life was last held in 2019 and the charity event supporting the Ashburton Cancer Society and Hospice Mid Canterbury is returning on February 1.
Seasoned shearers will work their way through 3000 sheep over eight hours at the Ewing family’s Hindsridge Farm in Hinds.
The family gave it their full support again after hearing organisers wanted to do a repeat event.
At the first Shear for Life, the late Richard Ewing, known as Dick, put two new stands in the wool shed to make it nine stands and bought 3000 lambs of similar types so they were all shearing the same lambs.
Daughter-in-law Larissa Ewing said the event had a special meaning for the family.
"Since the last event we have lost a lot of people we know from cancer, obviously including Richard, and we have a lot of friends and family members going through different treatments for cancer and it’s just something that effects everyone either knowing someone or having it. So the event is close to our hearts and Richard had always said we could maybe do it again in five year’s time and it’s something we had always thought about because the last event was so successful."
She said there had been strong support from new and old sponsors including businesses, farms and individuals coming on board to raise proceeds or donate items for raffles and auctions.
Mrs Ewing said the venue was ready to go with the wool shed extension already in place, but the next few weeks would be busy on the farm at an already busy time of the year.
She said Richard Ewing had always been fully committed in whatever he did and his wife Suzanne was supportive of the event.
"He was very hard-working, but could also be very generous giving to causes and the community and giving back."
Son Mark — her husband — was out buying 3000 lambs again over the next few weeks at on-farm and other sales and the farm team would have them belly-crutched for the day, she said.
The challenge ahead of shearers aged over 50 is to beat the $90,000 raised for charity at the previous event.
Mrs Ewing said organisers were aiming high to surpass the total after being "blown away" to raise that much money.
They were hoping for better weather after rain fell in 2019 and a marquee would be put up again near the shed for onlookers.
A family area with activities for children was being introduced, she said.
The first shear-off arose when co-founder Rocky Bull and a couple of Australian shearing mates were talking about a friend who died of prostate cancer and a friend’s wife with terminal breast cancer.
Wanting to get the message out, they agreed to head to Mid Canterbury to shear for a week and donate the money to cancer charities.
An initial group of about 10 shearers developed into a major event attracting shearers from all over the country and Australia.
Eighteen current or ex-world record holders including Sir David Fagan, Alan MacDonald and Grant Smith, as well as former All Blacks Sir Buck Shelford, Sir Brian Lochore and Tane Norton joined the cause.
With more close friends dying from cancer, the shearers felt the time was right to organise a second event.
Aside from Mr Ewing, their secretary Sandra Curd lost her husband, Rupert, and Sir Brian Lochore, Tane Norton and other ex-All Blacks have since died.
In the previous event, shearers worked 20-minute stints before moving on to the next shift, removing the fleece from 3000 sheep in the allotted eight hours in front of a large crowd.
The concept of getting mates together before they pass will be repeated with more shearing women invited to attend. A teddy bear shearing competition will be staged for children and organisers are allocating more time so onlookers and shearers can mingle. Background music will be provided by teenage country singer Molly Harrison.
Health checks on the day will remind shearers and supporters of the importance of early detection.
Organisers say a good turn out is expected with any shearers or supporters unable to attend already pledging donations.
"The talk around the community already has been great," Mrs Ewing said.
"People are aware the event is on and are looking forward toit.
"We are getting messages from people asking how they can sponsor on the day so the word is out."
