World record fleeced by South Island shearer
24 Jan 2008
Southland shearer Jimmy Clark has smashed a world record after shearing 560 ewes in eight hours.
Clark added 65 sheep to the current record in the 53-minute home stretch. Over the eight hours he averaged one sheep every 51.43 seconds.
Held near Blackmount in western Southland, the competition attracted more than 200 supporters.
The event was refereed by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society, who counted the sheep every half-hour and checked the quality of shearing.
30 year old Clark broke into a smile only on the shearing last sheep. He shook hands with his support team and hugged his wife Jackie.
''Yeah, [I’m] happy. I'm quite surprised how many people turned up.''
He added, ''I think I could do better.''
Clark's had been preparing for the competition since April 2007 by training at the gym, running and swimming.
Clark's father, Hugh, who shore for 20 years, said that he was extremely nervous and proud of his son.
The previous record for full-wool crossbred ewes of 495 was set by North Island shearer Hayden Te Huia in 1999.
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