The best among sheep for handling wool is from New Zealand
Joel Henare is considered as a G.O.A.T in the sheep sheds in New Zealand’s tight-knit shearing society, comparable to Lionel Messi, Tiger Woods, or Jonah Lomu.
He entered the spotlight of competitive shearing for the first time when he was just 12 years old. He is now 31.
Since then, Henare has won 132 competitions in the fast-moving skill of extracting off-cuts from a sheared fleece.
He is regarded as the top person in his field.
He starts his job with a creative flick, spreading the matted fleece across the table, then quickly and skillfully trims, snips, and slices the undesired bits.
He moves on to the next one after 60 seconds. This month’s Golden Shears, a prestigious competition that brings shearers and wool handlers from all over the world to Masterton, a rural farming community with a population of 27,000, saw Henare dominate the field. Henare attributed his victory to hard work, discipline, and fast thinking after winning his tenth consecutive open wool handling championship while sweating and panting. “You need to have the mental strength, but you also need to be physically fit,” he told AFP.
He entered the spotlight of competitive shearing for the first time when he was just 12 years old. He is now 31.
Since then, Henare has won 132 competitions in the fast-moving skill of extracting off-cuts from a sheared fleece.
He is regarded as the top person in his field.
He starts his job with a creative flick, spreading the matted fleece across the table, then quickly and skillfully trims, snips, and slices the undesired bits.
Crown transfer
In a typical eight-hour workday, professional shearers must have exceptional skill and stamina to clip hundreds of sheep, each weighing about 60 kilos (132 pounds).
Henare added that “to do it right every time, not only up on stage, but anyplace you go in the world,” handling wool also requires a well-organized approach.
Henare is referred to by Golden Shears organizers as “the Jonah Lomu of shearing sports,” alluding to the legendary heritage of the legendary New Zealand rugby player.
But this Best of All Time stopped working as a shearer full-time four years ago, and today she competes only for fun.
At the conclusion of a competition, Alabaster claimed he was frequently exhausted, but “if it’s a dream you’re after, you simply push through.”
He said, “It’s incredible what your body can achieve.”
The 19-year-old, like Henare, grew up among sheep sheds and has been learning his skill from family members including his cousin Sheree Alabaster, the world champion in wool handling in 2008.
Training methods also matter while shearing.
The adolescent explained that “it’s all about placement, some sheep sit better than others.”
“If you’re holding the sheep properly, it will be much pleasant for everyone.
“Some people just have a bad attitude and don’t care to have their hair cut.
Even the world’s best shearers occasionally receive a kick.
AFP
