She's shear class!
The rise and rise of top-class female shearers is a growing phenomenon in NZ – especially during recent times.
The media response to sheep shearing's potential as a Commonwealth Games demonstration sport, if not the Olympics, has gone international.
"Shearing as a demonstration sport has gone viral," says Jeanette Maxwell, Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairperson, with the Australian, UK and US media picking it up.
"I've had interviews with BBC regional stations but am being interviewed by Skype for BBC One.
"I've also checked Google News and shearing sport has generated at least 262 news items. From ESPN and a Washington Post blog to Britain's Daily Telegraph, you can say it has grabbed imaginations the world over.
"Some of it may drip with sarcasm but it's giving us the chance to tell people overseas that sheep don't die for their wool. Unbelievable as it may sound to Kiwi ears, some people overseas believe wool is like fur.
"While wool is natural, renewable and completely sustainable, it needs more and perhaps sport provides that magic.
"Our shearing athletes, men and woman alike, are in peak physical condition. When people wear New Zealand wool it has come from the work of people like of Ivan Scott and Kerri-Jo Te Huia.
"We can also add Stacey Te Huia and Sam Welch. Yesterday, they broke a 16-year world record for two-stand nine-hour ewe-shearing.
"I'm under no illusion that this will take time but given the big eight sheep counties are China, Australia, India, Iran, Sudan, New Zealand, Nigeria and the United Kingdom, shearing is more global than many people think," Maxwell says.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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