The first event on the shearing circuit will take place over one day at the Selbie Property in Five Rivers.
The event is in its 43rd year and traditionally draws competitors from far and wide as the competitive shearing season gets under way.
The sheep are all full wool cross breeds and are sourced from North Range farm.
Northern Southland Community Shears committee secretary Jenny Campbell said she was expecting plenty of entries and there would be some fierce competition in most of the grades. Up to 60 competitors are expected.
In the shearing grades there will be open, senior, intermediate and junior grades while the wool handling will have open, senior and junior grades.
The event started at a wool shed on a Mossburn property and then moved into the Mossburn Community Hall for a period before heading to Lumsden.
It then headed to a wool shed near Lumsden and this year will be at the Five Rivers property.
The event will start with the junior wool handling at about 7.30am and should go through to about 6pm, when the big open shearing final will take place.
As in all shearing events, points are awarded based on a combination of time taken and the quality of the shearing.
Most of the entrants will compete at the Winton A & P Show the next day.
