Three staff at Smedley Station in Central Hawke's Bay expect to hand over $30,000 to charity after shearing 1900 sheep in a marathon fundraising effort.
Rob Evans, manager of the cadet training farm near Tikokino in CHB, block manager Ricky Bullock and farm fencing manager Shane Bouskill started a 24-hour Shearathon at midday on February 2 to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association of New Zealand and the Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust.
Twenty-four hours later, the trio finished with a combined tally of 1903 sheep in front of 200 family members, friends and supporters, many of whom had sponsored the men for each sheep, or donated to a Givealittle page set up for the fundraiser.
Evans explained the charities were chosen in honour of his mate, Stuart Smith, who died from motor neurone disease in July, 2016, and in recognition that CHB's rural community relied heavily on the services of the rescue helicopter.
"Stu was a senior cadet when I started here at Smedley as a cadet in 1998. I played rugby with him and against him, and we always had plans to come back and play together for CHB with our families, but he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and passed away a couple of years ago.