BUSY BEES: Toby Mills (left) setting up the live video streaming and Kieran McAnulty. PHOTO/LYNDAFERINGA
BUSY BEES: Toby Mills (left) setting up the live video streaming and Kieran McAnulty. PHOTO/LYNDAFERINGA
It's been busy behind the scenes for the Golden Shears championship with thousands of sheep being trucked in and hundreds of volunteers getting ready for the three-day event.
Noise Productions director Toby Mills, who is setting up a high-definition, online live stream of the event, has been "fine-tuning" the system in time for the start of the event tomorrow.
He said he'd been busy since last Wednesday putting all the cameras up. There are two automatic cameras on the roof which can be controlled remotely to get viewers closer to the action.
"We'll be able to get a lot closer to the shearers this year. Last year we only had fixed shots where we could have three shearers in the picture."
Another new feature of the live stream is displaying the scores for each shearer on the screen and viewers' comments from the Golden Shears Facebook page.
"It will come up on the streaming video so they can support their favourite shearer."
Mr Mills said since last year, there had been 40,000 views, surpassing their expectations. "It's huge, it's been getting bigger and bigger."
Golden Shears MC Kieran McAnulty said they anticipated even more viewers, as it was the last time 16-times winner David Fagan would compete before retiring.
He says this year, as well as the commentators on the floor, online viewers will get their own commentators to make sure they have relevant comment.
A camera will also broadcast the commentators' room, much like a broadcast of a coach's box at a cricket or rugby game. People can also vote on who they think is going to win and crowd favourites will be displayed.
Mr McAnulty said Pongaroa shearer David Buick could be the first local in a long time to win because John Kirkpatrick, a multiple winner, was out because of injury and world champion Rowland Smith was taking a break.
David Buick, of Pongaroa.
He said the competition is huge operation with the trucking, shedding, penning and sorting of the 3500 sheep brought in.
"They have to source them from all over the country."
He said plenty of manpower was also needed and the 240 volunteers made it all happen. "We wouldn't be able to do it if it wasn't for them."
The live stream is the only way people not present can see it as it isn't shown on TV. Mr McAnulty said their ambition was to show the TV networks it was worthy of broadcasting live but, in the meantime, they were using the technology available. "They can't ignore it much longer, it's the ultimate shearing competition."
More than 300 shearers and woolhandlers have entered, from as far afield as Scotland and Chile. Live streaming is at www.youtube.com/TheGoldenShears.
