Shearing: Australian Ethan Harder sets new eight hour lamb world record

West Australian shearer Ethan Harder on his way to a world record of 624 lambs in eight hours in West Australia on Tuesday. At right is woolhandler Janelle Hauiti, originally from Southland. Photo / Rocky Wegner

Australian shearer Ethan Harder has set the pace for a new world record season by adding 20 to a Merino lambs record set less than a year ago.

Harder, who is from Bruce Rock in inland West Australia, shore 624 lambs in eight hours yesterday at Woolakabin, about 160km southeast of Perth.

He was always ahead of the target of 604 - the record shorn by New Zealand-born Australia-based Koen Black in West Australia last October.

Harder had to overcome a knee injury over the last hour, completing the day from the 7.30 am start with successive two-hour runs of 160, 156, 153 and 155.

It was done under the rules of the World Sheep Shearing Records Society overseen by four judges, convened by New Zealander Johnny Fraser, and assisted by Australian judges Mike Henderson, Ralph Blue and David Brooker.

At the wool weigh before the judges on Sunday, 20 sample sheep from the flock were shorn at an average of 1.062kg of wool per lamb, just edging over the minimum required for the record attempt to go ahead.

Thus, more than 660kg of fine wool was shorn during the day.

Harder is no stranger to world records, having missed a ewe shearing record bid at the age of 20 in February 2020.

Observer and shearer Rocky Wegner, who spoke with Harder afterwards, said the outstanding feature - apart from Harder’s obsession - was the teamwork behind him.

This comprised of his family, including brother Gage, friends and workmates, including woolhandler Janelle Hauiti, originally from Ohai, in Southland, and Elton Hokianga, from Hawke’s Bay.

Another big part of the team was Harder’s parents Suzie and Boof, present in the woolshed throughout a day in which supporters and spectators grew to over 150 people.

Harder has been a goal-setter in the woolshed since he first picked up a handpiece.

He shore 100 lambs in a day for the first time when he was 7 years old, 200 at the age of 12, 300 at the age of 14, 400 at the age of 16, 500 at the age of 17, 600 at the age of 18 and 700 at the age of 19.

His record is one of eight notified to the records society for the 2023-2024 year, the first, in the UK last month.

The seven others currently scheduled will all be in New Zealand, from December 15 to February 9, five of them targeting women’s records.