Ata Max would make them blush

Press, 27 January 1978, Page 3

Ata Max would make them blush

PA Auckland

Ata Max, of Bennydale, near Hamilton. would make most townies, male and female, blush.

Not only is she one of New Zealand’s fastest woman shearers but she was shearing well over 300 lambs a day up to two days before she gave birth to her two children. Three days after having her children — Tracey, aged four, and Shaun, aged two — she was back on the board shearing. Climbing into her black singlet is as natural for Mrs Max as it is for most townie joggers. Now 31, she has bc*n shearing for 14 years, and was in the New Zealand Women’s team that set a women’s world record for shearing sheep. “I shear for the dollar, ani for me it is much better than working in town,” she said. The locals are rather proud of her, and she has no problem getting work. “I prefer shearing lambs simply because dragging sheep all day can be tough on your back,” she said.

In the tough man’s world of shearing, nothing daunts Mrs Max. “I can swear better than most of them, and no-one ever tries walking over me ”