World Women's World Shearing Record Bid In West Australia In February

At least one more World shearing record attempt is planned in the summer downunder with a solo women’s eight-hour merino bid confirmed this week with the World Sheep Shearing Records Society.

Alexia Phillips, from Waikato, but based in West Australia, will make the attempt on February 22 at Spring Valley Farm, Capercup Road North, Darkan, about 200km south of Perth and 70 km north of notable shearing townships Boyup Brook and Kojonup.

The target is the 358 shorn by Jeanine Kimm in New South Wales in establishing a record for the category on May 4 last year.

More than 40 men’s and women’s records are currently recognised by the society, covering the standard work days of eight and nine hours, different breeds of strongwool and crossbred wool, and ewes, wethers and lambs, with machines or blades and shorn in New Zealand, Australia, the UK and South Africa.

The shift of focus back to Australia follows three strongwool lambs record attempts in New Zealand in the last month, all unsuccessful – attempts on two-stand and three-stand records before Christmas, and Monday’s solo men’s nine-hour strongwool lambs record bid near Dannevirke.

Phillips’ attempt follows 14 months of writing and rewriting the books for women’s shearing records, with new marks set for the solo eight and nine hours lambs and ewes categories in New Zealand, the eight-hour merino lambs and news ewes records in Australia, and a new nine-hour strongwool ewes record in the UK.

At least one other record attempt is being considered for West Australia in April but no date, plans, or whether it will go ahead, have yet been announced.

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