Shearer sets sights on world record

Champion King Country shearer Catherine Mullooly is turning her focus to a world record challenge.

According to an application received by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society, Mullooly is targeting the solo women’s eight-hours strongwool ewe record of 370, which was established by English shearer Marie Prebble, in England in August last year.

Originally from Matawai, near Gisborne, Mullooly is planning to make her attempt on January 10 at Nukuhakari Station, Waikawau, on the coast, south west of Te Kūiti.

It will be her first attempt at a record, but in 2014 as an intermediate Mullooly was the first female to finish a season as the No 1-ranked shearer in any of the grades since Shearing Sports New Zealand began its grade-by-grade acclamation 32 years earlier.

It didn’t stop there, Mullooly went on to win senior competition finals and women’s events in both New Zealand and England, including the 2021 women’s final at Te Kūiti’s New Zealand Shears.

She was also one of the five female shearers featured in first-time filmmaker Jack Nicol’s 2018 documentary She Shears.

Her record bid is one of seven so far confirmed for the 2023-2024 season, amid a major post pandemic-lockdowns assault on men’s and women’s records and on strongwool and finewool marks in eight months from late-August 2022 to late April this year.

Four of the attempts will be made by female shearers.

Confirmed last week was English shearer Steve Rowberry’s planned August 4 attempt on Te Kūiti shearer Jack Fagan’s men’s solo eight-hours strongwool lamb record of 754, shorn last December.

Also confirmed last week was a Southland bid for the five-stand eight-hours strongwool lamb record of 2910, which was set in King Country in January 2015 by local shearer Jock Macdonald, Southland shearers Ringakaha Paewai and Willie Hewitson, Australia-based Kiwi Aidan Copp, and South Australian shearer George Parker.

Lined up for the new bid on January 14 at Campbell’s Block, Hokonui Hills, near Gore, are Max Winders, Trent Hewes, Trevor Holland, Ben Boyle, and Josef Winders, with Lake Hewes listed as a reserve.

World sheep shearing records bids

World sheep shearing record bids so far notified for the 2023-2024 year are (shearers from New Zealand unless stated otherwise):

Friday, August 4: Steven Rowberry (England), 8-hour strong wool lambs, at The Dorelands, Abbey Dore, Herefordshire, England. (Current record: 754, Jack Fagan, Puketiti Station, King Country, December 22, 2022).

Friday, December 15: Megan Whitehead and Hannah McColl, two-stand and solo women’s 8-hour strong wool lambs, Grant Brothers Tin House, 759 Otapiri-Mandeville Road, Gore. (Current records: two-stand 903 (Ingrid Baynes 470, Marg Baynes 433), Mangapehi, King Country, January 13, 2009; solo 601, Sacha Bond, Fairlight Station, Northern Southland, February 4, 2023).

Tuesday, December 19: Sacha Bond, women’s 9-hour strong wool lambs, Centrehill Station, 611 Centrehill Road, Mossburn. (Current record: 661, Megan Whitehead, Craig Lachie, Southland January 14, 2021).

Saturday, December 23: Paerata Abraham and Chris Dickson, 8-hour two stand and solo strong wool lambs, Whitespurs Farm, 320 Puketiro Road, Masterton. (Current records: two-stand 1410 (Simon Goss 715, Jamie Skiffington 695), The Glades, Mangamahu, January 4, 2023; solo 754, Jack Fagan, Puketiti Station, King Country, December 22, 2022).

Wednesday, January 10: Catherine Mullooly, women’s solo 8-hour strong wool ewes, Nukuhakari Station, 780 Te Marama Road, Waikawau, King Country. (Current record: 370, Marie Prebble, Trefranck Farm, Cornwall, England, August 25, 2022).

Sunday, January 14: Forde Winders Shearing (Max Winders, Trent Howes, Trevor Holland, Ben Boyle, Josef Winders, reserve Blake Heweas), five stand 8-hour strong wool lambs, Campbell’s Block, Hokonui Hills, Gore. (Current record: 2910 (Ringakaha Paewai 618, Willie Hewitson 613, Aidan Copp 586, Jock MacDonald 564, George Parker 539), Piopio, January 6, 2015).

Wednesday, February 14: Sacha Bond, women’s 9-hour strong wool ewes, Centrehill Station, 611 Centrehill Road, Mossburn. (Current record: 452, Kerri Jo Te Huia, Otapawa Station, Tiraumea, NZ, January 15, 2018).