A world shearing record set between Napier and Taupō seven years ago has been smashed in a sweltering woolshed near Dannevirke.
Starting at 7am on Thursday at Pohuetai, Dannevirke-based shearers Hemi Braddick, of Eketāhuna, Flynn Harvey, from Kaitāia, and Ray Kinsman from Fairlie were attempting to break the three-stand eight-hours record and, with each averaging over 70 sheep an hour, passed the 1611 target 35 minutes before the last sheep went down the shute just after 5pm.
A new record of 1745 was confirmed by World Sheep Shearing Records Society refereeing panel convenor Dave Brooker, of South Australia, soon afterwards.
Attention over the last half-hour focused on Braddick’s bid for a personal tally of 600, having shorn successive tallies of 151, 148 and 150 in the first three of the four two-hour runs.