Shearing gang notches up personal bests

Kane Kahukura’s shearing gang members who achieved personal best tallies for lambs recently in Mossburn are (from left) Isiah Gorrie, Brandon Coombe-Gray, Jack Dobbie and Isaac James. PHOTOS: JENNY CAMPBELL

At Kevin and Margaret Christie’s Mossburn shearing shed recently, four shearers attempted to achieve a personal best tally for shearing lambs. The men were members of one of Kane Kahukura’s gangs whose family had been providing shearers for the Christies for the past 53 years. Northern Southland Community Shears treasurer Jenny Campbell reports.

Watching the shearers as they come to the end of their attempt to achieve personal best tally for lambs are Mossburn farmer Kevin Christie (left) and retired shearing contractor Paul Kahukura.

It was a memorable day when four members of one of Kane Kahukura’s shearing gangs set out to achieve personal best tallies on lambs.

The attempt was held at Kevin and Margaret Christie’s Mossburn property, Christie Farm Ltd.

"Three generations of Kahukura family members have done our shearing for 53 years," Mr Christie said.

"It started with Joe Kahukura when he was based in Lumsden with his son Paul taking up the circuit ... followed by Paul’s son Kane now running three gangs out of Milton."

The four shearers who aimed for their personal bests on lambs were Isiah Gorrie from Clinton, aiming for 200, Brandon Coombe-Gray from Waipawa, Hawke’s Bay, hoping for 500, Jack Dobbie from Clinton also setting out for 500 and Isaac James from Omakau looking to reach his first 400.

A usual day’s shearing starts at 7am and finishes at 5pm, but on the day of challenge they started at 5am and finished at 3pm for their eight hours’ shearing.

All the shearers exceeded their target with Mr Gorrie shearing 300, Mr Coombe-Gray 503, Mr Dobbie 518 and Mr James 401.

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