Shear high-tech pleasure awaits

FAST, CLEAR: John Hart (left) and Kieran McAnulty say technology can be used to benefit events such as the Golden Shears. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Live streaming could go 100 times faster than in the past

More than 10,000 people are tuning in to watch the 2014 Golden Shears live online and local leaders say even more people could watch in future if Masterton wins the Gigatown competition.

They say the event could be seen in a whole new light if Masterton wins the national competition to get access to one gigabit per second, ultra-fast broadband.

Gigatown project leader John Hart said with internet speeds 100 times faster, there could be multiple streams from different angles.

"It would open up the possibility to how we produce and showcase the event."

Combined with the new high definition live streaming, it would showcase the exciting atmosphere of the event more quickly to more people.

Golden Shears MC Kieran McAnulty says there are a lot of people who question whether shearing is a sport, but when they see the event their minds are changed.

"The whole idea is we want to broadcast this to as many people as we can and go to Sky Sports and say clearly there's an interest in this.

"Our ultimate aim is to get it live on TV."

Mr McAnulty said the Masterton War Memorial stadium was able to offer high-definition live streaming because it recently gained access to ultra fast broadband.

"It has been streamed live before but never in high-definition" said Mr McAnulty.

"It's been hugely popular.

"We couldn't have done that without UFB."

Mr Hart said Golden Shears was a good example of something new technology could be used for to showcase the region.

"It's a no-brainer.

"But there's so much more we can do."

Mr McAnulty said the three-day event brings 5000 people to Masterton and an estimated $1 million to the local economy.

He said it also attracted online viewers from Japan to Africa - "there's a big shearing community there".

The high definition service was set up in conjunction with Masterton-based company Noise Productions.

Live streaming of the event can be seen at www.youtube.com/TheGoldenShears.

Mr McAnulty, also the Labour Party candidate, and Mr Hart, the Green Party candidate, said they were putting their heads together to promote Gigatown. "The whole region needs to embrace this, this could change the region."

The 2014 Golden Shears encompasses novice, junior, intermediate, senior and open shearing competitions along with novice, junior, senior and open wool handling events and wool pressing competitions, as well as the triathlon award.