Test For N.Z. Shearer

Press, Issue 32345, 10 July 1970, Page 24

Test For N.Z. Shearer

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 9. “I have never had such a test in my life,” the New Zealand shearer, G. Bowen, said today, describing his dog handling at the New Zealand show at Expo 70 yesterday. Bowen was talking to the New Zealand Wool Board by telephone from Osaka, where he replaced the national champion dog trialist, R. M Wilson, of Kirwee, in the country round-up section of the New Zealand day festivities.

Wilson was rushed to hospital on Tuesday night after suffering a heart attack. “Here 1 was with an unfamiliar dog, two wild sheep on a shiny floor and an audience of thousands,” Bowen said today. “Tiger, Mr Wilson’s dbg, was noticeably very upset, and he worked those sheep by instinct.” Bowen said he had only limited experience with sheepdogs. “I’m more at home shearing than whistling,” he said. “A fellow wanted nerves of steel, but it was the dog that did it.” He said the crowd had been told about Wilson’s illness. “Japanese people are very sympathetic about this sort of thing, and when Mrs Wilson came out after the sheep were yarded to get Tiger, she got a standing cheer,” Bowen said. He said he and Tiger would be repeating the performance at the rest of the displays. Wilson’s attack was not serious but he would have to spend two weeks in bed. Bowen said the parade of trained rams at the show gained in effect because one of the troupe panicked, showing the crowd just how timid a sheep normally was. “The first one out, the big Border Leicester, took one look at the crowd and the scenery, and the noise, and took off,” he said. “The crowd thought that was great. “We got him rounded up and the rest of the team performed perfectly.” The New Zealand wool fashions modelled at the same time attracted favourable comment, he said. But the high point of the display was when 30ft rolls of carpet

spun out towards the audience as trumpeters blazed a fanfare. New Zealand then broke with Expo tradition by inviting the crowd to come down and see the display. “They poured into the plaza like the crowd on to a football field,” Bowen said, i “They swamped the rams and the performers.”