Shear hard work

“They’re a lively bunch, these ones,” says Billy O’Leary, as we pull up the drive of Calrossie Stud and park outside the woolshed.

“The crew has crossbreed ewes today – they’ll be good shearing, but it will be a matter of holding on to them,” I’m advised, as we jump out of the ute and head to the shed.

While I have spent a bit of time in woolsheds and even had pet sheep as a kid – shout out to Annie, Clarabell, and Mannie – I’ve never taken up the shears myself.

“It’s not being fully thrown in the deep end, but not far off,” Billy laughs.

It’s hot and humid – the sun’s earliest rays beating down on the tin roof radiate through – but that’s how it should be I’ve been told while watching Billy’s shearing gang do their craft.

It’s a live woolshed with the product going to market, so I’m only entrusted with shearing the back legs of a few animals.

Since I’ve been writing about his marathon shearing exploits over the past few months, I couldn’t ask for a better teacher than Duncan Higgins.

“Once you’ve got them on their back leaning back on you, shuffle your feet under and, before you go, get that the bottom tooth on the skin”, he advises.

“You’re looking to do long smooth blows along the animals, back and forth.

“Smoothness is priority, because people who look like they shear quickly may not be as they’re having to go back over again.”

The electric shears whirr to life in my hand and I try to mirror Duncan’s instructions, but the first attempt comes up with plenty of wool still on the skin.

Next blow, same deal. I’m not getting close enough.

Instead of shearing, I’m giving this sheep’s back leg a fresh fade. After a few tidy up runs I’m given the all-clear to push it down the chute to rejoin the freshly-shorn herd.

I take a quick breath to reset myself and go again, but the next sheep times its move to slip between my legs perfectly, leaving me with wool in my hand before I wrestle it back into position.

I’m breathing as heavily as the sheep are, just three animals in - how shearers do hundreds in a day is beyond me.

“It really doesn’t matter how many times you watch someone shearing, until you grab shears and the sheep and give it a go – it’s all pattern and patience,” Billy’s advice rings true through my mind.

The shears turn back on, I find the tooth to the skin and get my first decent run down to the animal’s hind leg, revealing the pink skin underneath, before tidying up.

“That’s better, now back up and go again,” Duncan says.

I go again, get the same positive result but need some assistance in the more intricate parts along the inner leg, and finish the job.

Duncan takes the clippers back, grabs the next animal and smoothly shears the belly, the neck and back before handing on to me.

“Hold the shears higher up and more like a pen, it means you can roll it around the leg in one long blow and flick the wool off with your wrist.

“It’s a full body job though, so get your feet further under, use your knees to position the animal as you need and as you go around its leg, you can step away and get all of the wool at once.”

I try and match Duncan’s smoothness, the sheep bucks again, but I’m more prepared this time and keep it under control as I move it onto its side, finish the shear, tidy some missed wool and send it down the chute.

I step back to watch on, helping collect fleece with the wool rakes for bailing, before readying myself for round two.

Practise does tend to make perfect, because I soon realise that I have been a bit too nice to the sheep and that firm handling is a priority.

I get back into position, grab the sheep, run the shears down the skin, flick off wool from the skin and go in again.

While Marlborough’s landscape is dotted with less sheep than it has been historically, each animal needing shearing requires total concentration.

The work that shearers do is backbreaking, both figuratively and literally, but their efforts are essential – and while I’m not sure I’ll be changing my career path, I’d give it another crack.

Thanks to Billy O’Leary, Duncan Higgins and the O’Leary Shearing team.