Southland will host four world shearing record attempts this summer.
World Sheep Shearing Records Society secretary Hugh McCarroll said the society had received seven applications for challenges in New Zealand between December 15 and February 14.
Shearers Megan Whitehead, of Gorge Road in Southland, and her cousin Hannah McColl, of Hawera in Taranaki, would attempt the solo and two-stand strongwool lambs records near Gore on December 15.
Four days later near Mossburn, Sacha Bond, of the King Country, would attempt to add the women’s solo nine-hours strongwool lambs record to the eight-hours record she set last summer.
The final two of the seven applications in New Zealand over the summer were also in Southland.
On January 14, a Forde Winders Shearing crew would bid for the men’s five-stand eight-hours strongwool lambs record.
Bond will attempt the women’s nine-hours strongwool ewes record on February 14.
The three remaining record attempts were in the North Island.
In Wairarapa on December 23, Paerata Abraham and Chris Dickson would attempt the men’s solo and two-stand lambs records for eight hours.
Shearer Amy Silcock would attempt the women’s solo eight-hours strongwool ewes record near Pahiatua on January 7.
Three days later, shearer Catherine Mullooly would attempt to break the women’s solo eight-hours strong wool ewes record in the King Country.
Mr McCarroll, of Tauranga, said he thought it would be the most shearing record attempts in New Zealand in any season in the 55 years since the first official recognition of eight-hours and nine–hours shearing records in 1968.
The society’s 2023-24 season got under way earlier this month when Herefordshire farmer Steve Rowberry fell short of King Country shearer Jack Fagan’s world eight-hour solo strongwool lambs record of 754, by shearing a new British record of 706.
