Shearing Record Bettered

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31261, 6 January 1967, Page 10

Shearing Record Bettered

(New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI, January 5. A 29-year-old shearer, Mr D. Holland, of Rata, yesterday bettered the Wool Board’s sheep-shearing record by 74 sheep.

In a marathon effort that began ait 5 a.m., he shore 541 sheep in 8$ hours. The previous record was 467 sheep. The record was broken on Paparangi station, 25 miles north of Wanganui. Mr Holland worked in one run of two hours, and four of 1} hours. His record was witnessed by a Wanganui city councillor, Mr H. S. Delves, J.P. Watched by 50 shearers from neighbouring gangs, Mr Holland took 7J hours to match the old record and just one hour more to better it. In his first Ij-hour run, before breakfast, he shore 232 sheep. Although Mr Holland worked under normal shearing conditions, the weather was described as utterly miserable—wet and cold. He shore full-wool Cheviots that had been mustered for

normal shearing on December 23.

Paparangi station, managed by Mr I. K. Robertson, is owned by Export Cheviots (N.Z.), Ltd.

Mr Holland could have netted between £2l and £25 if he had been paid for the day’s work. The 541 sheep shorn averaged 71b to 81b a fleece dry weight The fleeces showed a quantity of sand.