Three of the record bids will take place in the 10 days before Christmas, starting on December 15 with Megan Whitehead and Hannah McColl attempting the solo and two-stand strong wool lambs records in Southland.
Four days later near Mossburn, Sacha Bond will attempt to add the women’s solo nine-hour strong wool lambs record to the eight-hour record she set last summer.
Then in a Wairarapa woolshed on December 23, Paerata Abraham and Chris Dickson will attempt the men’s solo and two-stand lambs records for eight hours.
Silcock will attempt the women’s solo eight-hour strong wool ewes record at Ross Na Clonagh Farm, near Pahiatua on January 7, one of five big days out for women’s record attempts.
She first attempted the record last February, when she shore 348 ewes which averaged over 4kg of wool a sheep — more than 1kg over the minimum requirement.
It fell 22 short of the mark set by Marie Prebble in England the previous August.
Silcock’s attempt will be followed on January 10 by Catherine Mullooly tackling the women’s solo eight-hour strong wool ewes record in the King Country.
The remaining two are both in Southland, on January 14 when a Forde Winders Shearing crew will bid for the men’s five-stand eight-hour strong wool lambs record, and on February 14 when Bond will attempt the women’s nine-hour strong wool ewes record.
The society’s 2023-2024 year got underway on Friday with Herefordshire farmer Steve Rowberry falling short of King Country shearer Jack Fagan’s world eight-hour solo strong wool lambs record of 754, but shearing a new British record of 706. — NZ Herald
