EVER sheared a Norwegian sheep? No, well a crack team of Aussie shearers will do just that when they take to the boards in the Golden Shears World Championships in Bjerkreim, Norway, this weekend.
The Australian Shearing and Wool Handling Team are lining up against competitors from 28 other countries in the four-day event being held at Bjerkreim in Norway.The team includes two-time winner and current machine shearing title holder Shannon Warnest from Willalooka, South Australia, who won the last championship, held in Towoomba three years ago, and current national blade shearing champion David Neumann, from Yumali, SA.
National woolhandling champion, Debbie Chandler, from Port Denison in Western Australia, will go up against current world champion, Joanne Kumeroa, from New Zealand.
Other members of the Australian team include runner-up in last year’s Australian championships, Jason Wingfield, from Kyabram, Victoria, runner-up in the national blade shearing championships, John Dalla, from Warooka, SA, and runner-up in the national woolhandling championships, Mel Morris, from Cressy in Tasmania.
The first round in the machine shearing event was held last night, with the first round for wool handlers scheduled to kick off at 5pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) today. Blade shearers will start their bid at 9.30 pm.
The finals will be held on Sunday.
“Most of our team members have been over here for quite a few days, settling in and gaining experience shearing local sheep as part of their preparation because they are very different to Australian Merinos,” said Peter Artridge, Sports Shear Australia Chairman.
“The team is aiming to finish in the top 10, which would be quite an achievement given the different conditions, and we are all very excited to be here representing Australia.”This is the first time the championships have been held in a non-English speaking country.
The event has attracted 52 machinery shearers, 23 blade shearers and 28 wool handlers from Europe, America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions.
