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SHEEP SHEARING
farmingscotland.com Issue seventy-seven• June 2011
SOS Shears a success
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Caithness Shears
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deal conditions prevailed for the 4th Caithness Shears at Quoybrae Auction Mart on Saturday 4th June,when 30 well travelled shearers tackled almost 500 strong hoggs by the days end. An enthusiastic crowd witnessed some fine shearing during the afternoon programme, particularly the four finals. Qualifying Scottish Circuit points (towards represnting Scotland in the World Championships in New Zealand in 2012) were up for grabs in the Open section where a top-class field was ultimately headed by Hamish Mitchell, who now resides in Norway. The superb final saw Simon Bedwell from Garve, Ross-shire shear his pen of 16 Cheviot hoggs from Lythmore, Thurso in exactly 15 min. The Senior event produced a convincing winner in Stewart Kennedy from Aberfeldy, whose control, technique and quality was also rewarded with the bottle of Old
Pulteney whisky for the best-pen. Local shearing contractor Andrew Sinclair, Wick did extremely well to qualify for both the Senior and Intermediate finals but a demanding schedule saw him having to settle for 4th position in both. But the star of the day was Charles Abercrombie, a young Junior shearer from Huntly, Aberdeenshire. Having earlier won the W&M Horner junior competition by almost 4 clear points, he was delighted to qualify for the Intermediate final despite shearing up a class against more experienced adversaries. With nothing to lose, a determined effort saw him triumph to win the Sandy Douglas trophy and give him great encouragement for the future. Caithness Shearing Association wish to extend their grateful thanks to everyone who contributed in any way to making it a successful event.
pen shearers who are vying for an air ticket to New Zealand and a place in the World Championships 2012, were contesting the fact that the South of Scotland Shears had been pulled as a qualifying event. With only a few other competitions in Scotland it may be reconsidered and included as contestants only have to count two results and drop their lowest score. Twenty six Open shearers – eighteen Scots, four Welshmen, a Kiwi, a Spaniard, an Irishman and a Pom, took their stands in the heats. Gavin Mutch, who is home from New Zealand for the season, sped through his six Mule hoggs in 5 minutes 4 seconds, secured the time points and top slot into the twelve man semi-finals. A speedy time and cleanest pen (4.50) put Welshman Richard Jones (23), Corwen into second, ahead of fellow countryman Gareth Daniels, who was third in the World Championships Individual competition at the Royal Welsh Show last year. Robbie Hyslop, sporting someone else’s skin tight shearing pants qualified in fourth place, while Jordan Smeaton, who cleaned up well on the board (0.67) came in fifth. Losing a sheep off the board in the first semi-final cost the only Kiwi, Ian Kirkpatrick, a five point penalty and a chance to shear in the final. He was just pulling his last sheep out of the pen when Gavin Mutch clocked off, with the fastest time of the semis. Simon Bedwell set the pace in the second semi. He was turning onto the last side of number ten when Grant Lundie was in for the catch. With a score of 8.10 out the back, Simon failed to make the grade for the now four man final. The new four stand stage, set across the shed, rather than long ways seemed to get the thumbs up from all parties concerned at the Barony College, Dumfries. Gareth Daniels was first man into the final, only 0.15 points ahead of Mutch. Young Richard Jones was third and due to Kirkpatrick’s error Grant Lundie took the fourth slot. The final saw stands two and three – Daniels and Mutch – race against the clock and each other for glory. On sheep number twelve Mutch was a couple of blows behind, they level pegged for a while, pulling out number 14 in tandem, with Grant Lundie going in for 13. But true to form, Mutch, who has a fast last side dived in for his sixteenth first and had the neck open on his seventeenth when Daniels was just coming onto the board. And by the eighteenth Mutch was going down the money side when the Welshman was dragging his out. Mutch took the time points by 15
seconds, with Daniels a full minute ahead of Richard Jones, who in turn had 12 seconds on Lundie. The final line up was in the order they finished. Gavin, who lifted the £350 cheque, scored the cleanest on the board (1.00) while Jones, who will be a force to be reckoned with in future years had the cleanest pen (6.70). Callum Shaw, who was shearing in the Open for the first time came a commendable ninth. The twenty-one strong Senior heats had six Blackface hoggs to shear. Highland Cattle breeder, Ewan Mackay from Killearn, topped the billboard with the cleanest pen. Dye Clark, who was cleanest on the board was sixth and speedy gonzales, Ross Gibson came seventh. John Struthers, Stuart Weir, Brian Simpson and Rowan Forrest were second to fifth respectively. Brian Simpson, who was shearing for Jamie McConachie in Winton, New Zealand, upped the ante in the semi-finals to gain the time points and draw equal with John Struthers at the top of the table on 35.20 points. Ewan Mackay and Ross Gibson were third and fourth. Stuart Weir, who won the Intermediate just missed out on the final shear. In the final, John Struthers, Greenbank Farm, who was last to finish went for quality control, with lowest board and pen scores – his strategy paid off and he took the Senior title and £175. Brian Simpson was runner up, folled by Mackay and Gibson. Winner of the Intermediate section, by a 5.24point margin, Stuart Weir (28) of Kelso, took on Mainside Farm in partnership with his father a couple of years ago, running South Country Cheviots. He is shearing for Bob King, Gospelhall this season. Neil Sandilands, George Brough, Dumfries and Alan Brady, Dunkeld were second, third and fourth. A dozen Junior shearers from the Isle of Skye to Taranaki, New Zealand weilded their handpieces over three Cheviot hoggs. Eight then qualified for two semi finals. Stuart Davidson, Bill Ramsay and Scott Wilson were top three in the first round. Lewis Harkness and Kiwi lass Erin Lobb in the semis. Harkness went all out this time and scored the time points while Lobb went for quality both on the boards and out the back. In the final showdown young Scott Wilson (19), Stopo Hope Farm, Broughton, who is working for Iain Minto won by just over three points. Harkness was second, Davidson third and Lobb fourth. Singlets were sponsored by Wm Horner and farmingscotland.com magazine provided sweat towels for finalists.
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