Ian Smith blade shears a prize-winning Romney ram on his 80th birthday. Photo / Supplied
Most people take life a bit easier once they turn 80 — but not Ranfurly farmer Ian Smith.
Mr Smith marked his milestone birthday last Wednesday by blade-shearing a Romney ram which won supreme champion Romney and champion strong-woolled sheep at last year's Canterbury A&P Show.
And he reckoned it
was the best present he could have, being allowed to do it and being able to do it, he said.
The Romney stud he established in 1964 has been taken over by his daughter Janine Smith, who returned to the Maniototo in late 2016 after 26 years living in Greece.
Mr Smith told her he wanted to blade-shear the ram after Wanaka A&P Show because it was going to have a "fairly heavy schedule" at mating time, and she suggested he do it on his birthday.
