Issue 73

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farmingscotland.com Issue seventy-three • January 2011

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10% DISCOUNT ON AGRI PRODUCTS

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CONTENTS

farmingscotland.com Issue seventy-three • January 2011

farmingscotland Issue seventy-three • January 2011

H

Eilidh MacPherson

farmingscotland EDITOR: Eilidh MacPherson Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn, Castle Douglas, DG7 3TE Tel: 016444 60644 Mobile: 07977897867 editor@farmingscotland.com www.farmingscotland.com PUBLISHER - Eilidh MacPherson ADVERTISING – Eilidh MacPherson – 016444 60644 Alison Martin – 01292 443097 Fiona McArthur – 01583 421397 Cover - Nell Text and photography by Eilidh MacPherson unless otherwise stated Page 4 - Lloyds Bank Page 6 - The Allans Page 12- Fiona Sloan

appy New Year to one and all!

The festivities are all over, Christmas cards down and I thought I’d be organised for once – but here I am typing this at 4.31am – no change there.

Someone once said to me that I must be so organised to get a magazine out once a month – if only you could see behind the scenes!!

We were shocked and stunned to hear of the death of Michael Paterson, our local quad bike dealer in early December. Having received top quality service and after care sales for our quad as well as advertising for the magazine we hope that his eldest son and his brother Clifford can emulate Michael’s sales performance and stay top Honda ATV dealer in the UK. We wish them every success.

I ran an initial survey before the first issue of the magazine hit the press back in September 2003 and have always meant to do another to see how we can improve. The centrefold double page spread can be pulled out filled in and posted to me at the address on the left.

As an incentive we are offering a couple of weeks get-away – one on the Isle of Skye and the other in Spain.

The Island retreat is an on farm self-catering cottage. Situated secluded, just above the coastline on a 6000 acre beef and sheep property, it offers relaxation and an ideal base to explore the Island. The cottage sleeps four with one Kingsize and one double bed.

The Spanish apartment is in the Pueblo Andaluz resort, near the town of Alhaurin el Grande located in the hills behind Fuengirola, South of Malaga. It has one double room, and one twin so is ideal for families or couples.

Pueblo Andaluz is located in a beautiful setting surrounded by fantastic mountain scenery, and is only 20 minutes to the beach and 25 minutes from the airport.

This delightful apartment looks directly onto the stunning Alhaurin Golf Course. The apartment is well

equipped and has marble floors, hot/cold air con, washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, TV, secure U/G parking, lift & all the 'mod cons' required for a relaxing holiday.

The tranquil and private south facing balcony and large delightful communal pool plus a smaller one located nearby makes this an ideal place for the independent travellers, families and keen golfers to simply get away and enjoy the weather and the Spanish way of life in comfort!

Travel expenses for both locations is entirely up to the winners.

So sharpen your pencils and be brutally honest so we can tailor the publication to your, the readers’ requirements.

We are bursting full of ideas for the year ahead and look forward to seeing what farmers and crofters across the country think. Could you please have completed forms to us by February14th?

So much for global warming as we have just experienced the coldest December since records began in 1910.

I’m quite glad that we in the South West have had it relatively easier than other parts of Scotland. Many farmers have already made a huge dent in feedstocks, with many having to feed silage out to sheep. Fingers crossed that the next few months are not a repeat of 2010.

I met up with dairy farmers from across the country at ASDA in Govan before Christmas. Teamed with the NFU, they were handing out free milk to customers and telling them to write, e-mail and call the supermarkets to give a bigger cut to the farmer. Many shoppers were horrified at how little the farmers are receiving for their produce. I will be interviewing one of the farmers in the next issue, so you can read all about it in the February issue.

Well I better get some sleep as we have a day in the yards dosing sheep on the agenda.

Here’s to a prosperous 2011 for all agricultural sectors. Bliadhna Mhath Ur!

4 5

Beef

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News

Simmental

Honours

7 10

Survey

12

Sheep Blackface Shearing

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farmingscotland

BEEF

Issue seventy-three • January 2011

Glenturk Genetics

by Fiona Sloan

L

ike many who lost all of their stock to the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak, the Allans of Glenturk had to start again from scratch, while ensuring that their business moved on in the most productive way possible.

Many would argue that if they had the chance to start over again, they would do things differently! This wasn't the case at Glenturk, Newton Stewart in the deep South West, where Pedigree Herds of Simmentals and Limousins were reintroduced.

Brian and Lynn Allan and their son Graham, were always convinced that this was the path to follow.

They did, however, change their policy on the native breed front, buying a foundation stock of Blue Grey heifers, rather than pedigree Galloway cattle, which historically grazed the glen pre 2001. The Blue Greys were sourced locally from the McTurk family at Barlaes, forming the basis of the now 70 strong Simmental cross suckler herd.

“We were happy enough with the Galloways” said Brian “but we saw a chance to introduce a commercial suckler herd using the Blue Greys as a base cow and the Simmental bull to give us a Simmental cross suckler cow which was what we wanted.”

The Simmentals were first introduced to Glenturk in the early 70's with the first importation.

Brian's father Willie saw the breed when he was judging beef cattle in Kenya! He was so impressed with the Simmentals, that he made some enquiries when he came home. He discovered that a team of farmers including Sir William Young of Skerrington Mains, Kilmarnock and Dan Evans of Wroxall, Staffordshire, both of whom he knew, were on the brink of importing the first Simmentals from Austria. The rest as they say is history.

The importation of this new breed

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was such a success that many more followed and Willie Allan later went on to be President of the Simmental Society and a hugely influential figure in the foundation of the breed.

“The Simmental gave us the dual purpose, beef and milking ability – perfect for us at Glenturk, where we have 300 acres of grassland which is ideal for growing beef,” recalls Brian.

“After FMD it was always going to be difficult to replace the Simmentals quickly as there were so many lost in this area at that time and so many farmers were looking for them. But we were lucky that the Balmanno Simmental Herd came on the market and we haven't looked back.”

Glenturk Grenadier, who bred numerous champions pre 2001, continued to make his mark after, as did Whitemire King Kong, whose sons have sold well in recent years and produced outstanding stock for many other herds. Most notable were Glenturk Supreme who sold to Alistair Jack's new Courance Herd near Lockerbie for 10,000gns in 2007 and Glenturk Samson who went to the Heathbrow Herd in 2006 for 6,000gns. King Kong also bred some exceptional females - Glenturk Rita was Overall Junior Champion and female Champion at the Royal Highland Show 2006.

Milnafua Keystone has arguably been the most influential, bought in, breeding bull, with progeny selling to 17,000gns when Glenturk Rolex sold to Joey Peters and his Treetops herd.

He also bred Glenturk Nomad who was Supreme Champion at the Perth bull sales in February 2004 selling for 7500 gns to the Sacombe herd. He took out Male and Reserve Overall Champion at the Royal Show 2006 followed by the Supreme at the Great Yorkshire Show. Another of his sons – Glenturk Premier – has left a string of outstanding stock at Stuart Stronach's Islavale Herd. Keystone

successfully moved on to breed quality stock at Copper Mill.

The current stock bull, Omorga Veron, was purchased at Perth in 2009 for 7,000gns. Bred by John Moore in Northern Ireland he has excellent back breeding, including some of the best-known lines and top prices in the breed. He was Overall Breed Champion at the Royal Highland in 2009.

“He's a good carcass bull. His first calves are showing a lot of potential with the first batch due for Stirling next autumn. We have also used a few select bulls through AI, with good performance figures and this lets us expand the genetics within the herd and improve certain traits,” he added.

The 70 strong Simmental X commercial cows, which originated from the 40 Blue/Grey heifers, are all out-wintered. The farm is fortunate to have some good permanent pasture where they can winter well. With the exception of 20 autumn calvers, to help with cash flow later in the year, they are all spring calving.

“The Simmental is an easy cow to manage and a good mother,” said Brian, “which is important for us when we are only feeding silage and mineral and no concentrate.”

The calves are creep fed from July onwards on 16% mix and sold at around a year old, some privately for breeding but most through the local market at Newton Stewart, to regular buyers, where they can expect to make well over £600 per head. The last batch sold through Newton Stewart, topped the market, selling for 185p/kilo at 8 months old.

“The addition of the Limousins in 1990 was a good cross on the Simmental and gave us a little more back end conformation on our calves.” said Brian.

“The two breeds complement one another well, with the Simmental's

size and milking ability and the Limousins conformation.”

The Limousins were becoming popular as a modern carcass breed and had originally been introduced to gradually replace the Galloways.

Grahams Rocksolid became the most influential bull in the herd with Glenturk Ultrasolid selling to 21,000gns at Carlisle in October 2004. Doug Mash of the Brockhurst Herd bought him.

“With the high price of good Limousin bulls it is becoming increasingly more difficult to justify the risk of laying out a large amount of money for the size of unit we have with only 30 Pure Limousin cows.

Using AI allows us to try different bloodlines to find a bull which works well with our cows, without putting all of our eggs in one basket.”

More information and images on the herd can be found on their website www.glenturk.co.uk.

The ease of management on the farm became even more important when Graham (27) suffered a mountain biking accident, which left him confined to a wheelchair. While he is still very capable of being a big part of the day to day running of the farm, the need for an easy care system is evident.

Graham and Lynn have recently developed a barn conversion on the farm into luxury four star accommodation. The project was started about three years ago and now has two units which sleep 6 and 4.

With promotion through their website www.luxuryholidaycottagesscotland.com is generally fully booked and well sought after all year round.

With Grahams wedding to Fiona having taken place only a few weeks ago, this family business is set to continue to develop over the coming years in the sound and forward thinking way that it has done in the past.

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This space could be selling for you!

Call 01644460644 NOW!!

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farmingscotland

NEWS

Issue seventy-three • January 2011

OBE for Professor

P

rofessor Donald JR MacRae, Chief Economist with Lloyds Banking Group Scotland and a director of Lloyds TSB Scotland was recently awarded an OBE for his work in the rural sector and for business development.

In the early nineties, Donald founded the Business Forum – the networking organisation devoted to promotion and development of new Scottish businesses.

Donald, a Highlander, was brought up on Gaichmore Farm at Tore on the Black Isle and now living in Newington, Edinburgh, was appointed to the board of Scottish Homes in 2002 and to the board of Scottish Enterprise in 2004 where he chairs the Economic Policy committee. He is a trustee of the David Hume Institute and a fellow of the Royal

Electric Order of Merit

T

here is Gallagher security fencing around Buckingham Palace, but Bill Gallagher has done far more than just protect the Queen to be made a knight companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, reports Business Day, New Zealand.

Gallagher fencing equipment is sold and used worldwide. The business has grown 100 fold, from its beginnings in 1938 when Sir William’s father established the company with a team of ten men. Nowadays there are 1000 on the payroll and Sir William and his brother John run a multi national, multifaceted company.

"Father made the foundation, I was the builder," Sir William said.

He joined the Gallagher Group fresh out of university in 1962 and has worked his way up from the shop floor to become chairman and chief executive.

His success has been recognised before: he was made a member of the British Empire in 1987 and a companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1999.

He attributes his business success to three key factors. "You've got to have integrity ... working hard and being

6

reasonably smart are the other two, in that order."

He said without integrity there was no trust, an essential element in business agreements, especially when dealing with foreign business partners for whom English was a second or third language.

Sir William's integrity is evident in the fact his business relationships are so longstanding that in some cases he is now dealing with sons or nephews of the original partners.

The company now has animal weighing systems and perimeter security added to its traditional fencing portfolio.

The Gallagher Group is also a leading supplier of petrol station fuel pumps in Australia and New Zealand.

A key part of the company is research and development, with 95 people employed to develop new products and keep Gallagher at the top of the game.

Reaching No1 in the world for agricultural electric fencing and for security fencing systems are the two achievements that have given Sir William the greatest satisfaction during his career.

Society of Edinburgh.

Donald (56) has given evidence to several Scottish Parliamentary Committees, advised the Finance committee of the Scottish Parliament on the Scottish Budget and holds the chair of visiting professor of business and economic development at the University of Abertay Dundee. He was a member of the 2007/08 Committee of Inquiry on Crofting and is a board member of Interface – designed to promote university and business interaction. He was appointed as a member of the Rural Development Council in 2008.

Donald makes frequent appearances on radio and TV publishing the Business and House Price Monitors and the Bank of Scotland PMI and Report on Jobs.

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3. Where do you pick up your copy?

farmingscotland.com Survey 2011

S

ince the inception of the first issue back in September 2003, carrying out a reader survey has been on my to do list.

Over the years I have had plenty verbal and written feedback from farmers across the country on the features that they have enjoyed, the photographs which stand out and even advertising campaigns which stick in their minds.

I would very much appreciate it if you could take the time to fill in this questionnaire. 'The information obtained will only be used for helping us to tailor our content to your interests and will not be sold or shared with any third party.

In 2010 farmingscotland.com magazine started mail-shotting direct to certain areas in Scotland. Farmers in Ayrshire, Argyllshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dumbarton, Renfrewshire, Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles

1.What do you farm?

Enterprise Beef Sheep Dairy Pigs Poultry

and the Scottish Borders, so far, have had up to six issues delivered direct to the farm gate. We hope to roll this out over the coming year, so that every farmer in Scotland receives a monthly copy of the magazine. It is therefore in our interest to deliver the news, reviews and features that will be of help you in your farm business.

We also offer a subscription service, which ensures that you receive each monthly copy, until the direct mail shot is running countrywide. Magazines will still be available at the usual outlets until this is in operation. If you farm in one of the above-mentioned areas and have not received your copy, please fill in the survey and your details will be added to the database.

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous 2011, from all at farmingscotland.com magazine. We have 2 fantastic prizes to be won!!

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8. Do you read the following sections of farmingscotland.com – always, sometimes or not at all ?

Please give each section a mark out of 10 – where 10 is excellent and 1 is poor.

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16. Do you save previous copies of the magazine?

21. Have you purchased any products having seen them advertised or read about them in farmingscotland.com magazine?

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29. How often do you purchase goods over the Internet?

40. Do you think these publications are value for money? – which ones?

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Two fantastic prize draws – all completed forms will be entered.

Week for 4 in cottage on the Isle of Skye Week for 4 in Spanish apartment NAME ADDRESS

POSTCODE E-MAIL PHONE Thank you for taking the time to fill this in. Please post to farmingscotland.com, Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn, Castle Douglas, DG7 3TE and you will be included in the holiday draws.

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If you would like to receive farmingscotland.com magazine every month please fill in the form below and send a cheque for £20 for 12 issues and post to: farmingscotland.com, Marbrack Farm, Carsphairn, Castle Douglas, Dumfriesshire, DG7 3TE

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farmingscotland.com Issue seventy-three • January 2011

M

SHEEP

ixing traditional methods with modern, Jimmy Wallace of Fingland, markets his top quality Blackface lambs on the hoof and the hook.

While Jimmy is a good supporter of the market system for selling his lambs he has developed an excellent relationship with Haig Murray of Dunbia, the meat wholesalers who supply Sainsburys with 'Border Blackface Lamb.’ This product is sold as part of their 'Taste the Difference' range.

Teamed with the Blackface Sheep Breeders' Association, Dunbia have been instrumental in promoting Blackface lamb to the consumer.

Dunbia who, started as a small butchers in the 1970's, now have ten sites throughout the UK and Ireland and are therefore well placed to raise the profile of the breed.

“Haig always gives me a good and fair price for my lambs,” said Jimmy.

“While I still take some to market, it is good to see them go to a company like Dunbia and get the feedback on the grades and quality,” explained Jimmy, who also won the Christmas Fatstock Show at Dumfries market.

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One of the consignments of 50 lambs which headed to Dunbia in early January last year averaged £83.85, while the two lots which went to Dumfries market a month later, with 51 in each averaged £85.80 and £75.80 making a good comparison on both markets.

The Wallace family have been in the farm since 1905 when Jimmy's great grandfather John, first took on the tenancy of Fingland. It is on the Earlstoun Estate and runs to 1250 acres with 1200 of that being hill.

There are 40 acres of woodland and a meagre 10 acres of arable which lies close to the steading. The farm is currently run by Jimmy and Margaret Wallace and their three children Kirstin, Emily and James.

Originally half of the ewes were Cheviots but the family soon changed to all Blackface to increase lambing percentages. The farm is ideal Blackie grazing and the ewes obviously flush well on this type of ground. There are 700 Blackface ewes in total all bred pure, with 180 retained for stock and a further 150 kept to be sold as gimmers the following year at Wallets Mart at

Castle Douglas. In 2010 the 118 gimmers topped the market selling ta a staggering £143 with 60 ewe lambs averaging £75. Regular buyers look for the Fingland stock and this often includes buyers from Northern Ireland.

“This year I had vaccinated all of the gimmers so that they were eligible for export to Northern Ireland.” explains Jimmy. “But they ended up just down the road at The Lowes!”

The 350 breeding hoggs headed off to Ayrshire for wintering and the wether lambs moved to grazing on The Solway near Dumfries about an hour away so that they can be drawn easily as the winter moves on.

The attention to breeding and management of the whole flock has seen the Fingland finished lambs making good prices right through last season. From the first draw in October 2009 right through to the last draw of the bottom end gimmers in mid May 2010, the 425 sold averaged £72.28 to a top of £90 in April. “That was the day I was lambing and sent Margaret with the lambs!” laughs Jimmy.

As a hefted flock, the ewes pretty

much look after themselves on the hill, knowing when and where to move for the better grass or sun and maintain their condition well.

Mineral blocks are put out at tupping time until scanning, when the pairs are pulled off and receive some additional concentrate feeding. The ewes are all lambed at home with a lambing percentage of between 125% and 130%. Around 40 of the ram lambs are kept back after weaning to bring on for tups. A top of £7000 has been acheived twice for Blackface tups by Fingland.

The highest priced animal ever sold off Fingland however wasn't a Blackie but a Galloway bull which went to Nether Rusko and Barlaes for 10,500gns. The 25 purebred Galloway cows and the 25 crossbred Galloway cows also thrive well on the hill and as another typical hill breed are well equipped to stand the hard winters and the rough grazing, which comes with a hill farm environment.

All of the cattle are wintered outdoors and this is why the Galloway has become so popular with many hill farms but particularly with Jimmy.

“I think the Galloway cow has a great potential in hill farming in many ways. She is one of the few breeds who can thrive in these harsh conditions and can rear her calf well from grass. The Galloway also has some of the most flavoursome meat on the market because of the way it is naturally reared and matured and has the potential, like the Blackie, to find a good market on the meat side of things.” concluded Jimmy.

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BLACKFACE SHEEP BREEDERS' ASSOCIATION SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2011 ANNU AL SHO W & SALE OF IN LAMB FEMALES Show at 11.00am, Sale 12.00 noon in La nark Agricultural Cen tre Judge- John Guild, Ashmark

Entry forms are now available from Aileen McFadzean

Sainsburys 'Border Blackface Lamb' If you would like to learn more about this campaign, please contact:

Aileen McFadzean - Tel 07768820405 Email - aileen@scottish-blackface.co.uk

www.s cottish-blackface. co.uk Association sponsored by:- Honda ATV, Chanelle Animal Health,Adam Purves Mitsubishi and NFU Mutual.

73 MAG 5/1/11 5:06 pm Page 14

farmingscotland.com

SHEEP SHEARING

Issue seventy-three • January 2011

UK Team Tests

Record for Te Huia

A

S

ome of New Zealand's smallest towns will get to see the best shearers in the World as two teams from Britain take-on New Zealand World champion guns Cam Ferguson and David Fagan over the next three months.

The Welsh and British Isles Shearing Competition Association UK teams will each shear three tests against the New Zealand team, which won the World final in Wales last July, with Ferguson and Fagan also first and second in the individual championship.

The tours, which open with a Welsh double-header next week – a provincial match and a test in Southland – will include a unique three-way match involving all three teams during the Golden Shears international championships in Masterton on March 3-5.

The UK team's other two tests will be at the Southland Shears and New Zealand Crossbred Lambshearing Championships at Winton on January 15, and Southern Shears at Gore on February 18-19, while the Welsh team's other two tests will be at the Waimarino Shears in Raetihi on March 19 and at the New Zealand Championships in Te Kuiti on March 31-April 2.

The Welsh team will be headed by Gareth Daniel, who was third to Ferguson and Fagan at the World championships, with his teammate expected to be Champion Shearer of Wales runner-up Hywel Jones, while the UK team will be headed by Taranaki-based Scotsman and World Championships fifth placegetter Gavin Mutch, joined by Northern Ireland's Ian Montgomery, who won

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the Golden Shears junior final in Masterton in 2003.

Shearing Sports New Zealand chairman John Fagan said that with matches against regional selections also at Lumsden, Reefton, Waitomo and Stratford small towns had great opportunities to see top international competition and also show-off New Zealand's rural heartland on an international stage.

"This is where these men, New Zealanders and shearers from overseas, work and compete, day in and day out, in what is not only one of New Zealand's backbone industries but also an exciting sport," he said.

"It's a good opportunity for people in the cities and bigger towns to go out into the country and see these champions."

"It's also important for the sport, to be able to maintain international competition in the season before the next World championships are staged in this country – in Masterton in March 2012."

n unbroken run of 79 days shearing in Western Australia in 2010 proved the making of the man as King Country shearer Stacey Te Huia came back from a failed World eight-hour ewe-shearing record last January to smash the record despite torrential rain outside and a 40-minute power cut.

Te Huia, a 32-year-old "happily single" father of two shore 603 strong-wooled predominantly Romney flock to smash the previous record by 25 at Moketenui Station, between home-town Te Kuiti and Benneydale.

First to congratulate him was Far North shearer Matthew Smith who had shorn the previous record of 578 near Te Pohue, Hawke's Bay, on January 15.

Te Huia missed-out by five sheep in a bid for the record just four days after Smith's effort, and said that while at the time he did not want to think about another record, he had waited 11 months to get the record back in the family.

Older brother Hayden held the record at 495 for nine years after a day's shearing at Marton in 1999 when the pair set a two-stand record, which ironically is being tackled by Smith's brothers, Doug and Rowland, at Te Pohue, on January 11.

Te Huia, of Maniapoto and Tuwharetoa descent on the sides of both father Dean and mother Jo, said a troubled back had limited his serious training for last summer's attempt to about four months.

Based with Jury Shearing at Kojonup in Western Australia from August to the start of November, he not only worked his marathon 79 days, but also ran the roads for an

hour before each day in the shed, and and did an hour in the gym each night.

"It helped the endurance," he reckoned, as he drooled over his first beer in eight months.

He couldn't wait to get the latest record bid out of the way, and was unworried by the rain that had prevailed for much of the last week, nor a power cut with the race almost won and the fourth and final two-hour run about to start at 3pm.

Contractors Michael Cornelius and Mal McQuilkin, from The Lines Co in Te Kuiti, raced more than 20km to the woolshed and discovered an easily-fixed pole fuse fault a few metres from the woolshed. More to the relief of over 100 supporters than the challenger the run-home was soon back on, albeit 40 minutes late.

"I wasn't worried at all," said Te Huia, who had started at 7am and posted 146 in the first two hours to morning smoko, three down on Smith's opening run 11 months ago.

But with 39 in less than half an hour just before the break he was into a groove in which he remained, setting a run record of 152 in the two hours to lunch, going one better with 153 after the meal, and coming home with another 152 to the eventual finish at 5.40pm.

The quality on the sheep, estimated to have averaged about 55kg each and carrying an average of over 3kg of wool, was among the best seen in record attempts, and no sheep were rejected by World Sheep Shearing Records Society judges Ralph Blue, NSW, Paul Harris, North Canterbury, Hugh McCarroll, Tauranga, and Ian Buchanan,Te Kuiti.

UK & Welsh Schedule January 14 (Friday) Selection, at Lumsden January 15 (Saturday) Shears,at Winton February 5 (Saturday) Selection, at Reefton February 18-19 (Fri-Sat) Shears, at Gore March 3-5(Thurs-Sat) Golden Shears, at Masterton.

March 19 (Saturday) March 26 (Saturday) Waitomo.

March 27 (Sunday) Mar 31-Apr 2 (Thurs-Sat)

UK v Northern Southland Community Shears UK v New Zealand (first test), Southland UK v Reefton A and P Show UK v New Zealand (2nd test), Southern UK v Wales v New Zealand three-way test, Wales v New Zealand (first test), at Raetihi.

Wales v Waitomo Caves Shears Selection, at Wales v Taranaki Shears Selection, at Stratford Wales v New Zealand (2nd test), at Te Kuiti

Te Huia, from a family of shearers, had the best of support as he flailed his new Lister Nitro handpiece – shorter and lighter, said the experts.

Among those managing the attempt were icon David Fagan, on the 18th anniversary of the day he shore a nine-hour lamb record of 810 in Southland in 1992. Te Huia's woolhandlers were World teams champions Sheree Alabaster and Keryn Herbert assisted by Hannah Neal.

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Cam’s the Man

W I

rish shearing champion Ivan Scott will make a bid for the premier World shearing record near Taupo next month.

The 29-year-old South Island-based gun from Kilmacrennan, County Donegal, will attempt the solo nine-hour strongwool lamb shearing record of 866 held by Hawke's Bay shearer Dion King.

It was confirmed when an application was received recently by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society, and will take place at Opepe, off State Highway 5 just east of the Central North Island lake resort, on January 14, the end of what will be the busiest week in the history of World record shearing.

Hot on the heels of the national Lamb Shearing Championships on the competition board at Raglan on

Januuary 8, the action switches two days later to a woolshed at Motekenui Station, Mangapehi (between Te Kuiti and Benneydale) where World champion Cam Ferguson, of Waipawa, attempts the eight-hour lambs record of 736 set by Scott at Rerewhakaaitu, south of Rotorua, in December 2008.

On January 11, Hawke's Bay-based brothers Doug and Rowland Smith, of Ruawai in the Far North, will tackle the two-stand eight-hour strongwool ewes record of 986 set in 1999 by Marton brothers Hayden and Stacey Te Huia, now based in Te Kuiti.

The Smiths will make their bid at Waitara Station, near Te Pohue, Hawke's Bay, where brother Matthew Smith set the eight-hour ewe record of 578 last January, a record which Stacey Te Huia will challenge next Wednesday at Mangapehi.

orld record bid preparations aren't disrupting the routine of champon shearer Cam Ferguson who will contest the national lamb championships on 8th January, just two days before trying to break a record of 736 lambs in eight hours.

Ferguson, the 27-year-old Hawke's Bay shearer who won the World Championship in Wales in July, says that while the record bid on Monday in the King Country is the priority he will still shear in Saturday's competitions in Raglan, and probably also a popular Speedshear a few hours later.

"I'm not going to give the Show a miss because of the record," said Ferguson, who is attempting a record for the first time. "I still do the shows. That's what I do."

Ferguson began his record build-up in earnest when he arrived at the record venue, Moketenui Station, on Boxing Day, and has been working ever since, apart from a one-day trip back to Hawke's Bay to compete in Porangahau's Duke Of Edinburgh Hotel Speedshear.

A winner of more than 60 speedshears – the quick version of the sport – he showed good speed in that event, dominating the preliminaries and recording easily the best time for a lamb. But he was beaten in the final over three lambs by former nine-hour lambs record holder Rodney Sutton.

Back at work he's in good company this week, with new eight-hour ewe record holder Stacey Te Huia on one stand, and four-stand nine-hour lamb record shearing gang member James

Fagan on another.

Ferguson hasn't qualified for the 20-lamb Raglan final since 2008, when he was fifth behind winner Dean Ball, the Te Kuiti veteran who this week confirmed he'd be back to start the build up for "one last go" at the Golden Shears Open in March.

The enormity of Ferguson's record hope is highlighted by the fact that his best tally to date in an eight-hour day is 680, four years ago at Whenuahou Station, Central Hawke's Bay. He needs to up the pace from his previous best by more than seven an hour to break the record set by Irish shearer Ivan Scott south of Rotorua two years ago.

The heats of Saturday's championship are also an important hit-out, being the fourth of five qualifying rounds in the PGG Wrightson National, in which Fergsuon still needs some good points to qualify among the top 12 for the finals at the Golden Shears in Masterton in March.

The series is currently led by multiple series winner and Te Kuiti shearer David Fagan, 2009 and 2010 seris winner Tony Coster, of Rakaia, is placed 4th and Ferguson is 7th.

Two other shearing competitions are being held on Saturday as the Shearing Sports New Zealand season resumes after a six-week break for the busiest time of the year in the woolsheds. The other events are the Cooper-Wilson Kaikohe Championships in the Far North and the Peninsula Duvauchelle Show in Canterbury.

Leading points and placing in the PGG Wrightson National Shearing Championship after three of five qualifying rounds:

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7= 7= 9= 9= 11= 11= 13 14= 14= 16 17= 17= 17= 17=

David Fagan (Te Kuiti) Nathan Stratford (Invercargill) Grant Smith (Rakaia) Tony Coster (Rakaia) Angus Moore (Ward) Chris Jones (Renwick) Cam Ferguson (Waipawa) Colin O'Neill (Alexandra) Adam Brausch (Dannevirke) Alton Devery (Tuatapere) Eli Cummings (Pleasant Point) Darin Forde (Winton) Dion Morrell (Alexandra) Abraham Paerata (Masterton) Aaron Haynes (Feilding) Dion King (Hastings) Matt Tumohe (Kurow) Charlie O'Neill (Alexandra) Ringa Paewai (Dannevirke) Gavin Rowland (Rakaia)

32pts 30pts 29pts 22pts 14pts 13pts 12pts 12pts 10pts 10pts 9pts 9pts 8pts 7pts 7pts 6pts 4pts 4pts 4pts 4pts

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