All Nations shearer says women can do anything

Shearer Brya Harrison-Kyle with husband Chris Kyle and daughter Lucie at the World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in Invercargill yesterday. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Blame it all on flystrike. Brya Harrison-Kyle's introduction to shearing might not have been glamorous, but it led to her forging a career in the industry.

From the Bay of Islands, Mrs Harrison-Kyle (30) was competing in the Southland All Nations machine shearing heats at the World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in Invercargill yesterday.

She is now in her fifth season shearing and her first season back since the birth of daughter Lucie 15 months ago, having had a break of 18 months.

She first picked up a handpiece after her father had a logging accident which put him off work for two weeks. Several of his sheep got flystrike and the shearers were too busy to tend to them.

Mrs Harrison-Kyle decided to deal with it herself. Despite having no idea how to shear, she took the handpiece to her bedridden father who set it up for her.

All she knew was that she had to hold it against the skin. While able to shear the patch of flystrike-affected wool, she did not know how to shear the whole animal.

As an only child, she decided she better ''take some responsibility'' and learn how to shear properly. And so she did, later moving into competitions.

Heavily into cross-country running and athletics at school, she had always loved competing.

''I just love pushing my body, beating the clock as well,'' she said.

Brya Harrison-Kyle competing in the Southland All Nations machine shearing heats. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

Going back to work after Lucie's birth proved difficult - ''my tallies went right back to when I was a novice'' - but it slowly improved.

Mrs Harrison-Kyle was thrilled to see an increase in the number of female shearers over the past couple of years.

While not necessarily encouraging them to take up shearing, she encouraged young women not to let their gender hold them back.

''Anything in the world, just go for it and give it a go. You never know what doors will open.''

She had shorn in England, Ireland and Scotland and seen ''beautiful places'', including some tourists would not usually visit. She had also shorn some ''amazing'' breeds of sheep, including miniature sheep.

Mrs Harrison-Kyle was supported in Invercargill by her husband Chris Kyle, who used to shear around the world, and now worked for Silver Fern Farms, and her daughter.

The toddler was a big driver in what she did.

''I love to make Lucie proud,'' she said.

Before Lucie's arrival, she had been training for a world record attempt as no ewe record had ever been set by a woman. Unfortunately, the sheep earmarked for the attempt proved unsuitable.

A record attempt was now back on the agenda, although she did not know exactly when.

Results from the opening day

All Nations Championships

Shearing:

All Nations Senior heats (3 sheep, top 12 shearers to semifinal): Jade Maguire (Winton NZ) 4min 49.218sec, 18.461pts, 1; Hararei Te Whata (Mossburn NZ) 5min 0.124sec, 21.339pts, 2; Paraki Puna (Napier NZ) 5min 3.263sec, 21.496pts, 3; Nick Greaves (England) 4min 57.117sec, 21.856pts, 4; Luis Pincol (Chile) 5min 31.095sec, 22.222pts, 5; Ila Rhys Jones (Wales) 5min 15.054sec, 22.419pts, 6; Ricci Stevens (Napier NZ) 5min 30.594pts, 7; Stewart Mainland (Invercargill NZ) 8min 55.84sec, 22.792pts, 8; Gilles Grancher (France) 4min 40.519sec, 23.026pts, 9; Aaron Bell (Cook Islands) 4min 52.87sec, 23.31pts, 10; Linton Palmer (Dipton NZ) 5min 52.196sec, 23.61pts, 11; Pagan Karauria (Alexandra NZ) 5min 46.813sec, 24.008pts, 12.

All Nations Intermediate heats (2 sheep each, top 12 shearers for semifinal): Jonathan Rees (Wales) 4min 34.20sec, 19,21pts, 1; Wilton Weeks (Feilding) 3min 54.539sec, 20.227pts, 2; Sam Davison (Masterton) 4min 31.498sec, 21.075pts, 3; Tom Brewer (Invercargill) 5min 17.514sec, 21.376pts, 4; George Orlof (England) 3min 54.13sec, 21.707pts, 5; Jordan Hart (Blenheim) 4min 44.991sec, 21.75pts, 6; Brya Harrison (Okaihau) 4min 35.836sec, 22.292pts, 7; Anne-Lise Humstad (Norway) 5min 18sec, 23.4pts, 8; Mitchell Murray (Amberley) 3min 51.30sec, 23.565pts, 9; John James (Wales) 4min 31.808sec, 23.59pts, 10; Brndon Maguire-Ratima (Winton) 5min 11.762pts, 11; 24.088pts, 11; Jan Juppe (Germany) 4min 34.824sec, 25.191pts.

All Nation blade shearing heats (2 sheep each, top 12 shearer to semi-final): Tony Dobbs (New Zealand) 17min 18.239sec, 32.412pts, 1; Mayenzeke Shweni (South Africa) 8min 44.383sec, 39.219pts, 2; Bangani Joel (South Africa) 9min 12.218sec, 40.611pts, 3; Ken French (Australia) 9min 28.691pts, 4; Shane Casserly ( Balclutha, NZ) 8min 19.788sec, 42.489pts, 5; Johnathan Dalla (Australia) 10min 1.935sec, 44.097pts, 6; Allen Gemmell (Rangiora, NZ) 9min 20.53sec, 44.527pts, 7; Noel Handley (Rangiora, NZ) 8min 4.558sec, 45.228pts, 8; Peter Heraty (Ireland) 10min 56.58sec, 46.329pts, 9; Peter Race (Twizel, NZ) 8min 19.343sec, 46.467pts, 10; Peter Casserly (Balclutha, NZ) 11min 33.693sec, 49.185pts, 11; Phil Oldfield (New Zealand) 9min 25.82sec, 49.291pts, 12.

Woolhandling:

All Nations Senior heats (top 12 to semifinals): Natalie Collier (Gore) 28.78pts, 1; Angela Stevens (Napier) 38.694pts, 2; Sharon Tuhakaraina (Gore) 40.81pts, 3; Ebony Turipa (Gore) 44.438pts, 4; Lashara Anderson (Winton) 45.062pts, 5; Emma-Kate Rabbidge (Wyndham) 46.29pts, 6; Jenna Holland (Invercargill) 46.61pts, 7; Adele Lemercier (Germany) 47.686pts, 8; Bodeisha Mason (Gore) 48.462pts, 9; Liv Gardner (Alexandra) 52.21pts, 10; Krystal Schmanski (Gore) 52.546pts, 11; Nova Kumeroa-Elers (Mataura) 53.096pts, 12.

Day 2 Programme: (Thursday, February 9):

All Nations Open machine shearing heats, All Nations Open woolhandling heats, All Nations Intermediate machine shearing semifinals, All Nations Senior machine shearing semifinals, All Nations Senior woolhandling semifinals, All Nations Open woolhandling semifinals, All Nations Blade shearing semifinals, World Championships machine shearing heats (Round 1, lambs).