Showman Billy Black Woolman will be at the Horowhenua AP&I Show next weekend.
As a performer he said he is passionate about preserving the pioneer culture of New Zealand’s earliest European settlers.
“I am aware this New Zealand’s pioneer history is fast disappearing, I am passionate about keeping it alivefor future generations. With this in mind, I created my stage character Billy Black Woolman.
Demonstrating wool's fire resistance.
“Billy is born out of my many years’ experience as a natural fibre severer technician, more commonly known as a professional sheep shearer.
“My journey took me to the outback of Australia, through the wild wild west of Wyoming, US, to the Berlin Wall and back. I was involved in a world sheep shearing record where 8500 sheep were shorn in one day. I shore 675 of that lot. That record still stands today
“As an ambassador of the wool industry, I am also keen about showing the eco benefits of wool. It is a safe natural fibre that can be worn year-round. It insulates in the winter and breathes in the summer.
“Wool is a safe fibre in that it is resistant to fire unlike the synthetic clothing which many of us wear. I demonstrate this by setting myself alight with a blow torch.
Billy Black introduces kids to rural activities.
“My own challenge on stage is to get everyone to either smile, laugh, or talk to their friends about the ‘wow! never new that’ factor of what they have just seen, and I know that I achieve this in every show and have kept that achievement going now for over 17 years, and yes, I live on adrenalin.”
Billy Black will perform on Saturday and Sunday at the entertaining stage from 11-11.30am and 12.30-1pm.
Ainslie Allen will sing at the Horowhenua AP&I Show on Saturday, January 21
Country and Western singer Ainslie Allen will also be at the show, performing on the entertainement stage on Saturday from 11.30am to 12.30pm and 1-2pm.The local fire brigade will roll out a truck or two for kids to sit in.
