SHEEP-SHEARING CHAMPIONSHIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 17

SHEEP-SHE A RING CHAMPIONSHIP.

The sheep-shearing competition for the championship of Australia, which was briefly referred to in a recent cable message,'is described as under by the Sydney Daily Telegraph:—“The machines used were of the Lister make, and there were six competitors —J Davis flasmaniu), A. Alexander (New South Wales), F. Bieman (South Australia), J. Bieman (New Zealand) R. Rees (Victoria), and 0. M‘Connoil (New South Wake). Each competitor had to shear 10 sheet) —which were of tire class which finds favour on tiro shearing lx>aid. Davis, Alexander, and F. Bieman wore in the first heat. Bieman put his first sheep down the shoot jn 2min 4see, and his tenth was disposed of in 29min 2sec. Davis, who caught ids ninth as Bioman had finished Ins ninth, took 31min 40»oc to do the ton sheep Alexander, who was shearing comj paratively d-owly, but remarkably clean i and close, took 33min. Bieman wag de- ! dared the winner of the first heat on the ' points of quality and quantity. J. Biemun, Ross, and M Connell competed in the second heat. M'Connell took 2min 25sec 1 to finish his first sheep, and ho hold a substantial lead until the eighth, when there t wore not more than a couple of “blows” bej tween him and Ross. M'Connell had his I last eheep shorn m 25min 35soc. while Ross was 11 sec longer. The judges, how- ! ev<*r, gave the first plaoo to Ross for quality and ’quantity. The judges (Messrs R. Car--1 roll R. J. M'Namara, and W. Wellman)

Intimated that Alexander had qualified foi the final, but ho did not start. The contest in tno final was keen, and F. Bieman and Boss set each other from the moment tlie bell went, Bieman had the wool oft his first sheep in 2min 4eec; Ross took 24sec longer. It was a close go all through, and the watch showed Bieman had “put through’’ his tenth sheep in 23min 51 l-ssec, while Ross took 24min 12seo. F. Bieman was declared the winner.