A Gore shearer will this week tackle a world shearing record that has stood for more than 13 years.
Megan Whitehead, 24, will attempt the solo women's nine-hours strongwool lamb shearing record of 648 (72 an hour), set on November 27, 2007, by Waikato shearer Emily Welch. The previous record of 541 had been set in 1989.
Whitehead has been shearing in recent months in Hawke's Bay and King Country.
The attempt will take place at the Grant Brothers woolshed at Gore on Thursday, starting at 5am and finishing at 5pm.
Whitehead, a daughter of former shearers Quentin Whitehead and Tina McColl, is already the joint holder of one world record, the four-stand eight-hours women's record of 2066 lambs set in the Central North Island on January 23 last year. She shore a personal best of 608, the best of the day and at an average of 76 an hour.